Jun. 9—TUPELO — It is not a matter of if garbage rates will rise for Lee County residents this year but how much and of who will do the collecting.
This week, Lee County officials continued negotiations with national waste collection company Waste Management despite significant pushback from some members of the board.
Although multiple companies expressed some level of interest in picking up Lee County residents' trash following the county board's request for proposals to take over the county's garbage collection, only Waste Management offered a contract proposal.
But some members of the Lee County Board of Supervisors weren't happy with the proposal, a fact reflected in Friday's 3-2 vote to proceed with negotiations with Waste Management.
District 1 Supervisor Phil Morgan, District 3 Supervisor Wesley Webb and District 5 Supervisor Billy Joe Holland voted in favor of the negotiations; District 2 Supervisor and Board President Mike Smith and District 4 Supervisor Tommie Lee Ivy voted against the measure.
If successful, Waste Management will handle all garbage collection countywide, allowing county officials to dismantle its solid waste department.
County Administrator Bill Benson said shuttering the Lee County Solid Waste Department doesn't mean all of its 14 employees will lose their jobs. Lee County Solid Waste Director Terry McGlaun will most likely shift over to running the county's waste transfer station.
Waste Management representative Kerry Howell, who spoke to supervisors during Friday's meeting, said he will encourage all county employees to apply for a position at Waste Management.
No matter who's picking up trash in Lee County, it's almost certain residents will pay more for the service.
"We are going to have to go up one way or another whether they do it or we do it since we haven't gone up in a long time.... It is a fact of life," said Smith, the board president.
Lee County garbage collection rates have not risen since 2013 when the county raised rates from $9 to $12.50.
But Smith also voted against closing the county's solid waste department and letting Waste Management handle trash pickup, arguing Lee County residents are better served by keeping the service in-house.
"I feel like we can serve our customers better and feel like we can do it cheaper," Smith said.
Using statistics provided by Three Rivers Planning & Development District Governmental Functions Director Ronnie Bell, Smith said they estimated a contract with Waste Management would cost the customers of Lee County an estimated $990,000 annually for the life of the contract. Smith said that Bell, who did not attend the meeting, put the monthly collection fee at $18 if Lee County provided the service, while Waste Management could raise rates up to $23.