City May Offer Yard Waste Pickup For $99 Yearly Fee

It may be the end of Saturday afternoon trips to the dump.

Spokane’s Solid Waste Department wants to haul away those grass clippings and leaves along with the weekly trash.

Director Dennis Hein asked the City Council on Monday to consider his plan for a special yard waste collection program in the 1997 budget.

Participating residents would pay $10 a month from March to November, when the program operates.

Residents could rent the 96-gallon cart from December through February for $3 a month. Having the city pick up the cart during the off-season would cost $15.

Most people would pay about $99 a year for the extra service, Hein said. “We wanted very much to keep it under $100.”

Hein also told the council he wants to bring back the neighborhood cleanup program that was scrapped in 1995.

This time, all 19 city neighborhoods would get $5,000 each to spend on dumping fees or cleanup crews.

The old program disbursed dollars to neighborhoods based on average income, so only 14 areas received money, Hein said.

Neighborhood councils would decide how the money is spent.

Utility rates

In the second of five meetings devoted to the budget, directors of the city’s three utilities - garbage, sewer and water - unveiled their proposed spending and rate plans for 1997.

The council won’t take action on the spending plans until December.

The sewer department is the only utility asking for a rate increase.

If approved, the 2 percent bump would raise the average monthly utility bill 30 cents, from $14.81 to $15.11.

“For $15.11, Spokane residents get the same thing that costs $40.50 in Seattle,” said Phil Williams, the city’s director of planning services. “They pay more for wastewater than our entire utility package.”

Also Monday, spending plans for the city’s golf division and Regional Solid Waste System, which manages the incinerator, were detailed.

The $97-a-ton tipping fees at the incinerator won’t increase next year, said Acting Director Damon Taam.

Greens fees

Golf Manager Mike Stone said the Parks and Recreation Department is considering several changes in the way golfers are charged greens fees in 1997.

One change calls for charging non-residents and residents the same fee.

If approved, all golfers would pay $18 for 18 holes of golf at Downriver or Esmeralda courses, and $22 for 18 holes at Indian Canyon or Qualchan.

That’s the same fee non-residents paid this year.

A $25 discount card would lower those prices to $16 at Qualchan and Indian Canyon, and $14 at Downriver and Esmeralda.

That’s the same fee paid by residents this year.

, DataTimes