The state's highest garbage fees may be in Davis County after all.
Even though the city of Moab probably has the most expensive solid-waste collection fees for a city at $18.05 a month, an area in unincorporated Davis County between Bountiful and North Salt Lake has garbage fees of $19.73 a month.The average garbage fees for Davis County served by the Davis Energy Recovery District is $15 a month. Many believed this was the state's highest until Moab's new fees came to light in September. However, Davis Energy Recovery District officials acknowledged at their Nov. 1 meeting that the pocket in south Davis County has probably elevated the district back to the unwanted reputation of having Utah's highest garbage fees.
A-1 Disposal of Salt Lake City, the company that serves this pocket, believes its high rates are justified. According to Valerie Martin, sales manager for A-1, its fees increased 45 percent in September because of the Energy District's $10 household fee, effective in July.
Martin said A-1 already had higher costs for the pocket of south Davis counties homes because it doesn't service all the homes in the area - just the ones that request it. Also, A-1 has to bill customers on its own, instead of through utility notices, as cities do.
A-1 had initially notified the 400 unincorporated residents in late September of even higher rates than the $19.73 a month. Martin said this was because A-1 then learned it would have to collect the $10 household fee for the Energy Recovery District. The company also assumed it would have to backpay the district to July for the new fee, too.
"We jumped the gun," Martin said, explaining the district didn't end up requiring the backpay and so A-1 is now in the process of sending out new billing explanations with the slightly lower rates.
Martin said the new letter outlines the $19.73 monthly fees. She said lower billing option means the customers can pay only $56.19 per quarter (equal to $18.73 a month) or $203.76 annually ($16.98 a month).
Davis County Commissioner Dan McConkie lives in the unincorporated area served by A-1, and he's working to improve the situation. He said the county currently has no ordinance to deal with garbage collection in unincorporated areas.
Layton Mayor Jerry Stevenson said his city has made arrangements to use its contracted garbage hauler to also serve a few, small unincorporated areas around Layton. McConkie would like that option for south Davis County, too, since it could be more economical for the 400 homes.