McMinnville Trash Rates To Increase By $3 Monthly Starting Feb. 1

McMinnville residential trash pick up rates will increase from $15 to $18 monthly starting in February.

A one-time fee of $50 will be charged if you need an additional trash can. Commercial rates have increased to $30 per dumpster. Director of Public Works Frank Southard cited rising costs as the reason for the increase.

“We bought like a knuckle boon to pick up brush,” Southard said. “We bought one of them about four years ago, and then bought one about two years ago and the one two years ago went up like $75,000, and it’s the exact same truck.”

Southard said the city worked with MTAS to come up with a fair rate increase. He said said so far the public has been understanding of the rate increases.

“I think some people realize how things are going up if they want the same service,” Southard said. “We have checked around with rates before we raised it. I have checked around with several cities around here. Really going up to $18 we are probably right in the middle. Some cities are charging $27 a month.”

Southard said they began looking into changing the rates around six months ago. He said they wanted to take their time to ensure they were providing a fair rate in line with surrounding cities.

Southard said the city needs a side-loader truck as well.

“They have went up probably $80 to $90,000 dollars,” Southard said. “The rate has gone up for us to dispose of the garbage at Capital Waste Services. The rates have gone up on getting rid of the brush.”

Southard said he thinks $18 is a fair price to pay for the services McMinnville provides.