Approval of the following changes to Environmental Services' Fee Schedule for the Fiscal Year 2019-2020: 1) adjust tipping fees for passenger and off road tires, and 2) add out-of-county tipping fees for Class I garbage, construction and demolition debris, yard waste, and tires to become effective upon final adoption of ordinance. (M. Towns)

The Environmental Services Solid Waste Fund provides waste collection, disposal and recycling services to accommodate the needs of Clay County. This includes long-term maintenance and environmental monitoring of closed landfills. The Rosemary Hill Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF) receives, processes, recycles, and disposes of solid waste. This includes municipal and residential garbage and recyclable materials, construction and demolition debris (C&D), vegetative waste, appliances, household hazardous waste (HHW), and waste tires. Environmental Convenience Centers (ECCs) provide for drop off of residential waste, recyclables, and HHW.

Economically, these programs and services are funded through user service fees. These fees are reviewed annually as part of the budget process. Changes to environmental regulations, waste volumes and processing and disposal costs affect the operational costs for managing Clay County’s waste. As such, periodic fee adjustments may be needed to offset these costs. The most recent rate change, effective October 1, 2016, was for a reduction in user fees. Tipping fees for garbage, C&D, and yard waste were reduced by $7.00 per ton and the residential disposal assessment rate was reduced by $12.00.

In December, 2018 the county’s waste tire processing contractor closed its doors. Numerous Florida counties that had also been served by the facility were similarly affected. Demand for tire disposal drove prices at other processors up significantly. The most competitive overall cost in response to the County’s bid is 76% higher than previous for disposal of passenger tires. The current tire tip fees are now lower than the county’s cost to handle and dispose of tires. Staff recommends that the tipping fee rate for tires be adjusted to $210.00 per ton for passenger tires and $380.00 per ton for off road tires effective October 1, 2019.

On June 11, 2019 the Board directed staff to draft an amendment to the solid waste ordinance related to accepting out-of-county wastes and establishing a host fee surcharge for said waste. Staff recommends and that a host fee surcharge of $7.50 per ton be added to the regular non-franchise disposal rate (gate rate) for Class I municipal waste, C&D, yard waste, and tires. The host fee is anticipated to generate approximately $85,000 revenue. The host fee surcharge for waste generated outside of Clay County would become effective upon final approval of the aforementioned ordinance revision.