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 Johnston $125 trash fee ordinance dies from lack of motion web posted August 11, 2009 JOHNSTON – An ordinance which would have charged Johnston residents a fee of $125 for residential garbage service in an effort to raise much-needed funding for the town died quickly Monday without so much as a motion from members of council. Ordinance No. 2009-05, according to town administrator Keith Coones, would have generated $119,000 in revenue which would have been dispersed across many areas to fund repairs for town public works equipment and an aging fleet of police cruisers among other needs. "With no contingency funds and having made massive cuts in departments where we have historically been over ... we needed additional money," Coones told the council. "We have public works equipment that is in bad shape and we have no money set aside for it. After that you need to look at the services you provide. There can't be any deficit spending because there's nothing to draw from. Hopefully, we can start setting aside some money for the town." Mr. Coones said the new fee was to be collected from residential garbage customers, lots with structures on the property and businesses which utilized roll carts and the town's garbage service. The fee was to be collected with property taxes once each year. But from the outset of the meeting the ordinance was in trouble. Town resident Paul Winters during public comment said enough was enough. "I'm dead set against it," he told council. "I won't vote for anyone who votes for this. We've had enough. I say that this is stepping too far. We haven't looked hard enough (at other alternatives)." Once Mr. Coones had explained the ordinance, council members began lining up against it, with councilman Buddy Smith taking the lead. "A lot of people here are on fixed incomes and they won't be able to do this," he said. "I don't agree with it," added councilman Tommy Burton. "There are other ways to save money. This is not one that I will support." Councilwoman Miller admitted that the town would likely have to look at such a revenue-generating move in the future, but she stated that the timing was not yet right. "I think something like this is a real possibility in the future, but I don't think that the time is now," she said. "I can't support it. Over the last year we've managed to live within our means and I think we can do it again." Mayor Willie Campbell, asking for a motion from council and hearing none, moved on with the remainder of the meeting, effectively killing the ordinance without a vote. Councilmen Morris Holmes and Frank Nicholson were not present. During the administrator's report, Mr. Coones reported to council that while no more P.A.R.D. funds could be expected until at least 2010, the most eroded of the lighting poles at Watson Park had been replaced during Phase I of the project. "We'll just have to wait to do (Phase II)," he said. The Citizen News Contributed to this report © Copyright 2009
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