Commissioners Consider $15 Garbage Collection Fee

If you live in Dothan, you could be footing the bill for the expansion of Dothan's landfill.  Expanding the city's landfill will cost $8 million dollars.

To help cover the cost associated with the expansion commissioners were asked Tuesday to consider implementing a $15 monthly garbage collection fee.

The money isn't enough to cover all the cost for the landfill, but City Manager Mike West said it's still an idea they must consider.

"We must figure out away to pay for this and uphold the financial integrity of the city," said West after  Tuesday's  commission meeting.

The idea of a $15 garbage collection charge doesn't sit well with people in the community. Bobby Lewis who lives near the city's landfill voiced his concerns to commissioners.

Lewis said, "They're speaking of a garbage fee today, maybe it's time for us to get out of the garbage business and hand that over to someone else and not the community. "

In addition to the cost of the landfill the city needs to replace five of its automated garbage trucks.

Commissioners are also considering expanding the curbside recycling program to everyone in Dothan.

All of this adds up to a little over $9 million and the city needs a way to pay for it all.

The forum starts at 6:00.