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Madeira Beach may expand garbage pickup beyond city

Madeira Beach's sanitation department could sell its trash pickup services to nearby communities and raise rates, if it listens to a consultant.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published June 11, 2006

MADEIRA BEACH - The city's sanitation department was the main topic of discussion at a commission workshop Tuesday - but this time the issue was not over shutting it down.

Instead, the commission is now considering expanding garbage collection services outside the city.

Higher garbage rates may also be in the future for city residents and businesses.

These were among the recommendations of Dr. Marc Rogoff, a consultant who was paid $15,000 to study the department's operations and finances.

By using "excess capacity in staff time," the city could generate additional revenues. "You would be like a private vendor," Rogoff told the commission.

City Manager Jill Silverboard said the city could offer garbage pickup services to nearby beach communities such as Redington Beach or to unincorporated communities on the mainland.

Rogoff basically gave the city's sanitation department a clean bill of health. But, he said, the city needs to increase rates at least to keep up with inflation to keep that status.

Last year, the city raised garbage rates about 12 percent and now has a fund balance of more than $500,000. Residents currently pay $19 a month for twice-weekly garbage pickup.

Silverboard said she is inclined to leave those rates alone, but may consider building in an inflation escalator during budget review this summer.

She said she does not expect any major increases in operating expenses next year, except possibly for fuel prices.

Rogoff also recommended the city eliminate its current policy of completing all garbage pickups by noon as part of a move toward offering services outside the city.

He also suggested the city could save money by reducing garbage services on holidays and by eliminating or charging extra for backyard pickup. Madeira Beach is one of the few cities in Pinellas County that does not charge extra for side or backyard garbage collection.

Compared with rates in other cities, Madeira Beach's residential garbage rates are about in the middle, Rogoff said.

Clearwater has the highest monthly rates ($22.10), while Largo and Dunedin have the lowest ($15.35). The levels of services do differ, however, from community to community.

Rogoff said few other cities offer backyard service, which he said is labor intensive.

Silverboard said the city could also save money in its sanitation department by reducing staff through attrition as employees retire or leave their jobs, and by charging other city departments for garbage pickups now done free of charge.

Throughout the debate over sanitation department operations, there was no discussion of last fall's controversy when the city briefly considered shutting the department down and contracting with a commercial waste collection service.

That idea, originally proposed by Mayor Charles Parker and Commissioners Art Thomas and Martha Boos, raised a storm of protest from residents.

Rogoff reaffirmed Tuesday that residents still support the city continuing its sanitation service.

"In talking to residents, there is a high customer satisfaction with the service," Rogoff said.

[Last modified June 11, 2006, 08:35:37]