Lebanon approves new $20 monthly garbage removal fee

Lebanon’s city council has approved a new $20 monthly garbage removal fee, doing away with a previously included service for taxpayers.

The ordinance passed on second and final reading June 3 and takes effect on July 1. It comes after council members heard from a number of residents who spoke during the public comments portion of the meeting with concerns about the increase.

The ordinance includes the following stipulations:

Residential customers would be charged $20 per month per cart.
The commercial sanitation fee would be raised from $15 per month to $40.
The city’s recycling program, currently charged at $15 per cart, will be offered at no cost for residents who participate and $20 for each additional cart.
To establish new recycling service, add recycling carts or replace damaged carts, customers will pay $75, up from $25.

Increased costs led to the fee increase for garbage removal, Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell said. The ordinance also reduces the city’s cost for recycling service. The sanitation fee for residential and commercial customers would be added to the monthly utility bill.

Bell says the sanitation fee is “a new concept” for Lebanon. He addressed the crowded meeting room and said research included looking at other suburban cities that had similar sanitation fees such as Gallatin and Franklin.

Customers will not be able to opt out of the service, officials said.

Councilmember Joey Carmack felt allowing residents to opt out could create an “open market” for trash service with multiple trucks running during different times per day without knowing the quality of work being done.

Carmack also felt making a sanitation fee for customers to pay was the fairest method rather than incorporating the costs into property taxes because they have differing values.

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What led to the increase

The city budgeted more than $3.86 million for garbage pickup and disposal during the 2024-25 fiscal year, Lebanon Finance Director Stuart Lawson said.

That compared to a little more than $1.52 million in 2016-17 and a little more than $2.1 million in 2019-20.

Tipping fees at Middle Point Landfill in Rutherford County have increased from $215,000 in 2014-15 to a projected $1.5 million, according to the city.

It is estimated that the new sanitation fee will generate around $4 million per year in revenue, Lawson said.

Concerns from residents speaking to the council on the topic include the impact on seniors and those on fixed incomes.

Council members Geri Ashley and Camille Burdine have voted against the fee.

Reach Andy Humbles at [email protected].

This story was updated to add a video.

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