A proposed fee increase for garbage services would help Oak Park reconstruct almost three times as many residential alleys each year as it currently does, officials said Monday.
At a Village Board meeting, trustees discussed a recommendation to increase waste collection fees by $1.50 per month for 64-gallon garbage cans and $2.50 per month for 96-gallon garbage cans. Staff members project the increase will generate an additional $280,000 in annual revenue, which would be used to help offset debt service for residential alley improvements, according to village documents.
Residents currently pay a monthly fee of $18.10 for 64-gallon cans and $21.38 for 96-gallon cans, according to the documents.
The village currently reconstructs between eight and 10 alleys per year, said Public Works Director John Wielebnicki. The garbage service fee increase would allow them to rehab between 25 and 30 alleys a year.
Trustees Peter Barber and Andrea Ott said they were unaware that they had a choice in the size of their garbage cans, asking village staff to provide more education to current residents about their options. About two-thirds of those who pay for garbage collection services use the larger garbage can, Wielebnicki said.
“We’ve only had the smaller can for about seven years. So it’s been a slow movement to get folks to encourage them (to use the smaller can),” he said. “With the composting program, we’re seeing more folks move … towards the smaller container.”
Ott said this would be a good opportunity for the village to educate residents about its composting program.
“We’re working hard and could work a little bit harder to let people know about it and get people on board with it,” she said. “They can use a smaller garbage can and also get a composting option and live a little greener.”
The village board will consider the fee increase for approval at its Dec. 8 meeting.