Waste Pro Florida asked the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 18 to approve phased increases to the county's residential garbage rate and opened negotiations under the contract's adjustment clause. Dana Williams, director of government affairs for Waste Pro Florida, told commissioners the company is seeking an increase from the current $9.08 per home per month to $11.02 on Oct. 1, 2025, then to $12.96 under the renewal term and to $14.89 on Oct. 1, 2027.

Williams told the board that Waste Pro's contract with the county is a fixed-price contract that began Oct. 1, 2021, and runs through Sept. 30, 2026, with renewal options. "Our price when we start in 2021 is our price today," she said, and asked the board to consider a "step up step plan" to spread the increases over time. She said the company is invoking a contract clause allowing adjustments for "unusual changes or costs," citing increases in vehicle, fuel, insurance and driver salary and benefits since 2021.

Williams described Waste Pro as a Florida-based, family-owned company operating in 61 of Florida's 67 counties and noted the company's local presence in Lake City. She presented a market comparison showing that the proposed $14.89 monthly rate in 2027 would still be lower than competitors' bids in the 2021 procurement (GFL at $18.42 and FCC at $20.39 in the 2021 comparisons shown to the board).

Board members praised Waste Pro's local service record but said the numbers require more analysis before any decision. Commissioner Murphy (board member) said on contracts of this size he could not make a decision that night and asked staff to run additional numbers. Joel (staff member) summarized the board's contract history and noted the contract language that allows negotiations for cost adjustments. He recommended referring the matter back to staff for a formal recommendation.

No vote or contract amendment was adopted at the meeting. Commissioners discussed scheduling follow-up meetings with staff and Waste Pro; Joel said staff would prepare a formal staff recommendation for the board to consider. "If it's the pleasure of the board, refer this back to staff," he said.

The presentation and board discussion made clear the item remains under negotiation: Waste Pro asked for approval to proceed with phased increases but the board instead asked staff to analyze the proposal and return with a recommendation and proposed contract language detailing annual adjustments and any tether to CPI or other indices.

Next steps: staff will analyze the proposed increases, incorporate finance and procurement input, and return to the board with a recommendation and proposed contract language. No formal motion to change rates was made during the meeting.