Macon-Bibb leaders may dump annual garbage billing

Momentum may have swung back in favor of Macon-Bibb County residents paying their garbage fees each quarter.

The Macon-Bibb County Commission’s Operations and Finance Committee tabled an ordinance Tuesday that would prevent garbage and recycling bills from being sent out annually with property tax bills. But several commissioners suggested that the measure is likely to return on the agenda as early as next week’s regular commission meeting, when the full board will be able to vote on the proposal.

The ordinance was sponsored by Commissioner Mallory Jones, who voted earlier this year in support of moving to annual billing. However, with Jones now on board with quarterly payments and Commissioner Joe Allen also speaking out against the yearly collections, that could mean enough votes to keep the bills at four times a year.

As proposed earlier this year, the first $300 bill would cover 15 months of service, from October 2017 through calendar year 2018. The bills will then cover 12 months in subsequent years.

In March, annual billing was approved by the County Commission 5-3, with Commissioners Virgil Watkins, Bert Bivins and Elaine Lucas voting it down.

Multiple residents have spoken out against the change in garbage and recycling payments, especially with it coming at the same time as a proposed 3-mill tax increase.

And for people who own multiple rental properties, that could mean thousands of dollars they have to pay at the same time under annual billing, Jones said at Tuesday’s commission meeting.

Even if the bill is part of an escrow account, homeowners will still feel the pinch.

“A mortgage company is not going to go up $25 a month. He’s going to go up $50 a month because he’s going to maintain a buffer,” Jones said.

He added, “The timing for all of this is absolutely terrible, with the 3-mill tax increase including the garbage fee on top of property taxes. It poses a big burden on a lot of individuals and small business owners.”

Annual billing — which would be mailed out at the same time as property tax bills — is designed to increase the percentage of collections, Macon-Bibb officials have said.

The county would also save more than $100,000 a year from expenses associated with mailing out the garbage bills four times a year. The projected additional revenue from yearly collections is significant, Mayor Robert Reichert said at Tuesday’s meeting.

“We can prove to you the collection rate improves if you bill it once a year and it comes out the same time as (property) taxes,” he said.

One ordinance approved Tuesday would make it easier for people to avoid paying garbage and recycling fees if they can prove their property is uninhabitable.

While Macon-Bibb officials may decide on garbage and recycling billing next week, one item that’s already on the agenda is setting the millage rate.

The Committee of the Whole voted 5-3 Tuesday to support the measure that’s expected to generate about $12 million in extra revenue for the fiscal year.

Allen, Jones and Commissioner Al Tillman voted against the 3-mill rate hike. Commissioner Gary Bechtel was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.

A final public hearing on the change will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Macon-Bibb County Government Center, just two hours before commissioners are expected to vote on the proposed increase.

The 3-mill increase would mean about $99 more a year for property valued at $100,000.

The county sorely needs the extra income in order to provide sufficient services for residents, the mayor said.

“We discussed when we passed the budget that really what we had done is find the true cost of government, a government of which we can be proud of,” Reichert said.

County officials said they want to look at proposing an extra 1-cent sales tax in future years, which could lead to lowering the property tax rate. That new tax would have to go through the state Legislature.

In other business Tuesday, commission committees voted to add the following items to the Aug. 15 regular commission agenda:

▪  A resolution to move forward with starting a design-and-build process for a west Bibb park. The park would be located by the county’s animal shelter on Fulton Mill Road. Early plans call for walking trails, an area to walk dogs, a recreation field and a bathroom.

There is $494,626 of special purpose sales tax revenue budgeted for the Lizella recreation project.

▪  A $78,060 agreement with WM2A Architects to begin designs for the second phase of improvements at Delores A. Brooks Park.

▪  Purchasing $53,905 worth of new fitness equipment at Bloomfield-Gilead recreation facility.

▪  Spending $158,963 to buy 3,120 garbage containers.

This story was originally published August 8, 2017 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb leaders may dump annual garbage billing."