Commissioners direct staff to prepare resolution delaying dumpster rate hike and notify commercial customers

Suwannee County commissioners on Aug. 19 instructed staff to prepare a resolution that would delay or cancel a planned Oct. 1 commercial-can (dumpster) rate increase and to notify commercial customers that the county intends to exit the commercial dumpster business, giving customers a transition period. Commissioner Hale said the earlier decision to raise rates could effectively "price us out of the market" and proposed a more direct approach: send a 90-day notice telling true commercial customers the county will stop providing dumpster service and recommending private vendors. County Attorney Morrison told the board a resolution would be required to delay the rate increase that had been approved at the prior meeting; he offered to prepare a draft resolution for the board's first September meeting. Commissioners indicated consensus for the approach and asked staff to include an effective exit date in the draft resolution so customers would have time to secure private service. No formal vote was taken Aug. 19; the board expects the resolution to return for formal action at the first September meeting.