Houghton Councilman Wants Recycling Services Offered To Residents At No Extra Charge

Plans to raise fees for garbage collection in the City of Houghton are on hold.

The city council held a public hearing prior to their regular meeting Wednesday to discuss a proposed increase to dumpster charges from $6.50 to $7.00 and an increase to garbage bag prices of 15 cents for small bags and 30 cents for large bags.

The proposed increases are meant to offset any extra costs the city will incur from the new contract for recycling services.

However, City Councilman John Sullivan objected to the idea of raising the rates, saying the city already charges more than it needs to for covering the cost of trash pickup.

City Manager Eric Waara explained that the extra revenue is used for other cleanup projects, such as parks and following parades.

The council voted 5-2 to table the issue until their next meeting, giving time for Waara to provide a detailed accounting of where the additional garbage collection revenue is spent.