By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            In 2018, Levy County Commissioners adopted a $116 landfill assessment that many residents still believe is too high, among them Spotlight Founder Linda Cooper.

            On Tuesday, Cooper asked commissioners what she has asked before. Could the assessment be cut in half and make up the difference in revenue through a combination of residential and commercial tipping fees?

            “Everybody pays for what they bring,” Cooper said.

            The answer got a little complicated, but there was hope.

            Currently, residents dump their household garbage free at the landfill and commercial haulers also dump residential garbage free, even though they continue to charge customers for residential garbage service.

            Commercial haulers pay tipping fees for dumping commercial garbage.

             Board Chairman John Meeks asked County Attorney Anne Bast Brown whether the board could go to a combination of tipping fees and the assessment, or would the board have to conduct a fresh rate study first?

            “No, no, your current assessment is supported by a study that included the current tipping fees,” Brown responded. “You could reduce the maximum assessment now, but you have to figure out how to fund this part. You can change those tipping fees to make up the difference  if that’s what you all want to do and then the next study would take that into consideration and you would probably end up with a lower maximum assessment amount if you use higher tipping fees.”

            Brown said the county commission could take up the issue of tipping fees and the assessment during the budget process. The budget process for the county typically starts in May. Changing tipping fees would require a public hearing and quite a bit of staff time, she said.

            Brown was referring to possibly raising current tipping fees. Commercial haulers pay the only tipping fees now and the fees are paid only on commercial garbage. Residents currently pay no tipping fees when they dump their household garbage.

            Commissioners made no decision.

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting February 16, 2021; Posted February 18, 2021

County Commission Email Addresses:
District1@levycounty.org – John Meeks, Chair
District2@levycounty.org – Rock Meeks
District3@levycounty.org – Mike Joyner, Vice-Chair
District4@levycounty.org – Lilly Rooks
District5@levycounty.org – Matt Brooks