Salem City Council votes to raise garbage fees

Salem residents are going to be paying more for their trash removal services starting next year thanks to a Monday night vote by the city council.

West Salem residents will see an 11 percent increase on their bi-monthly bill people who live on the Marion County side of Salem will see a rise of 6 percent.

The rise in rates comes from a previous vote to increase the fees the city collects from waste haulers and to cover the rising costs of providing trash collection services.

The vote was 8 to 1 with Councilor Brad Nanke, Ward 3, being the lone no vote.

Nanke said he didn't think it was the right time to increase the franchise fee.

Councilor Warren Bednarz voted with Nanke against the raise in the franchise fee, but he ultimately voted for the overall fee increase Monday night.

Bednarz said that because the franchise fee was a done deal, he didn't think it was fair to then not raise rates and take that fee from the haulers' revenues.

The city estimates the fee increase will generate about $400,000 for the city's general fund.

In other news, the council voted 6-3 to include an increase in the number of chickens city dwellers can own when it votes on a proposal to remove the application process for owning chickens within city limits.

If that ordinance passes, Salem residents will be able to own six chickens rather than five.

The motion followed the testimony of Jeff Heyen, who read a letter from his wife, Marty Heyen, about their chickens.

"It's a bad idea to introduce a single chicken to a flock," Heyen said.

By allowing people to keep an even number of chickens, Heyen argued that it would allow people to buy them in pairs.

"You would make a happier life for them," Heyen said.

The second reading for the chicken ordinance is scheduled for Dec. 1.

Garbage fee increases for Salem residents:

customer classification/ service level

Marion County

Polk County

current rate | increase | new rate

current rate | increase | new rate

20 gallon w/o mixed organics

$25.90 | $1.60 | $27.50

$24.80 | $2.70 | $27.50

20 gallon

$37.90 | $2.00 | $39.90

$35.60 | $4.30 | $39.90

35 gallon

$41.80 | $2.70 | $44.50

$36.70 | $3.80 | $40.50

65 gallon

$55.80 | $3.40 | $59.20

$45.70 | $4.80 | $50.50

Source: city of Salem.