Mark Watson
Note: This story was last updated at 10:30 a.m.
The proposed city budget presented to Oak Ridge City Council members on Tuesday would leave the property tax rate unchanged, but it could include rate increases for water, sewer, and trash collection.
If approved by Council, the budget would not increase the property tax rate for the ninth year in a row. After five-year reappraisals last year, the rate is now set at $2.52 per $100 of assessed value.
The proposed budget includes a 3 percent pay adjustment that would move employees along their pay scales, helping to separate those who have worked for the city for a while from those who have just started.
The trash fee would increase by $3.50 per month, raising it from $10.50 to $14 per month starting in October. The fee was raised to $10.50 last year. At $14 per month, the city would no longer subsidize part of the trash fee, as it has previously done. The city used to pay half of the $14 fee, meaning residents paid $7 per month and the city paid $7.
Water and sewer rates are expected to go up in January 2017. Those rate increases have been delayed from January 2016. They are part of a study done about three years ago. (See a few previous stories here and here.)
The proposed budget this year includes funding for items suggested by the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Council member Kelly Callison and includes Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Smith and Council member Charlie Hensley. Among the items: Funding of a compensation study and a new accounting software system, an additional housing/code inspector, funding of a senior center design, and support of a proposed city/school approach to a joint capital improvements program, or CIP.
The city expects to need space for seniors to move out of the county-owned building on Emory Valley Road in about six months, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said. The current city-county proposal is to have the administrative wing of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks move out of the Civic Center and into the former Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic building on Badger Road; have the Senior Center move into the Civic Center; and have Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, move out of a private building on Bus Terminal Road and into the county-owned building on Emory Valley Road. Anderson County officials are studying the proposed courthouse move and haven’t approved it yet.
Here are some examples of the budget’s proposed spending for capital projects:
- roof and HVAC improvements—$500,000
- Municipal Building security upgrades and renovations—$100,000
- Civic Center/Senior Center remodel—$100,000
- transportation and safety improvements—$541,200 grant
- Outdoor Pool filter replacement—$150,000
- Recreation Facility/ADA improvements—$50,000
- Main Street Oak Ridge public infrastructure—$1 million
- eight rowing lane—$585,000
Council hasn’t approved the proposed budget yet, and Council members could make changes to it. The City Council will consider the budget on first reading on June 6, and members will consider it on second and final reading on June 13.
In the meantime, the Budget and Finance Committee will meet in the Municipal Building at 4 p.m. today (Wednesday, June 1) to continue discussing the budget. That meeting is in the City Manager’s Conference Room.
It’s not clear yet if the City Council will consider giving Oak Ridge Schools an additional $538,048, as the school system and school board have requested.
Watson presented the proposed budget to City Council during a special meeting on Tuesday.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Mark Caldwell says
I would much rather have my garbage picked up at the street rather than subsidize those who want theirs picked up from their backyard. Don’t increase the cost of garbage collection – reduce it.
Sam Hopwood says
I agree but I fear the affluent folks in OR will have none of that. Rather than increase fees, a property tax increase would be a more fair route to take. Those who have a little more, would pay a little more, but that has no chance to succeed either. We are what we are.
Philip W Nipper says
I think its time to do away with back door pick up as well. Its a hold over from our beginnings. Days long past when the AEC provided many services, like coal delivery and maintenance on government owned homes. The back door pick up has become a part of our DNA in Oak Ridge and we think we simply can’t live without it. Those who recycle have to wheel the brown bin out to the street so what’s the big deal about taking the other trash out to the street? I wonder how much the rate would change if back door pick up service was terminated and changed to curb pick up? John, maybe you could find out? Considering the rate increases in water/sewer and garbage collection we have seen over the last few years, it appears that Oak Ridge continues to be an expensive place to hang your hat and may be a determining factor in attracting new residents. I think this is one amenity that should be changed to a lower degree of service to allow for a reduction in the collection fee. And BTW I am still looking for my $2.00 a month fee that went originally to the now defunct recycle points program. Where’s my two dollars? The program went away but my $2.00 never came back. I want my two dollars!
Carol Donath says
I whole heartedly agree with you, They made us pay $2. extra dollars and then removed the program, but didn’t take off the $2. I also don’t think the brush pickup is a great deal, because most of my leaves are in the back yard. I don’t have the energy to haul leaves from all my trees to the front yard and the timing is never right. I use them for mulch or grind them up. Household trash is useful if you know it’s coming, but again you have to have good timing.
Philip W Nipper says
Yes, I think the citizens of OR deserve an answer on why the recycle bank program ended but yet we continue to be charged the two dollar fee after the program ceased. I understand why the increase was needed, ie. to pay for the brown wheeled bins and associated weight measuring and bar code software equipment for the the trucks. So, why did it end? Why are we still paying for it? And why haven’t we got the service back or been reimbursed for something we are paying for but not receiving? To my knowledge, none of these questions have ever been adequately answered. Here again John, maybe you can help.
Trina Baughn says
The answer is very simple. The city kept it.
Joseph Lee says
Newport is calling. Take the call please. Thank you.
Trina Baughn says
I take it you liked my current column. Should I interpret your comment as an idiom like your “six feet under” reference? http://oakridgetoday.com/2016/06/06/opinion-a-tale-of-three-cities/
Matt Bailey says
Lord, Joe, she’s back on that comment again. Yet not surprisingly, when she was asked repeatedly to name one teacher who’d left under the “reign of terror” claim, she sent out “let it go” messages. I guess when you’re busted, disgusted, and can’t be trusted that’s the only thing left to do.
What is surprising though, is this quote from Susie Williams Taylor this weekend: ….”and one thing is certain, IMO, anytime Trina makes a statement, she has the research backing up her comments”……….ANYTIME, huh?
Really, must we go through this stuff again? She’s twisted more “facts and research” than Chubby Checker. Let’s see: schools, Chief of Police, can we stop here or must we go on? Ms. Baughn, it’s somewhere around 175 days or so. Perhaps it’s time to be like the late, great Ronald Reagan and just ride off into the sunset.
johnhuotari says
Philip, I apologize for the much-delayed response.
I did check on this last year with Gary Cinder before he retired. I don’t think I have the notes anymore, so I’ll tell you what I recall as best I can. Please be aware that I might not be remembering the information correctly.
It is my recollection that at least part of the $2 increase was used for the equipment such as the brown recycling bins, weight measuring equipment, etc. As I recall, it had also been a while since there had been any change in the trash fee.
It looks like, based on their website, RecycleBank is still around. But I think, going on my memory here, there was a period when there was a drop in the recyclables market, and someone (Waste Connections?) was actually paying to recycle the recyclable material, rather than earning money for recycling.
I don’t recall whether the contract with RecycleBank was not renewed or when, and whether they shifted focus, or if anything else happened.
With the city saying the cost of the trash pickup is $14 per month per resident (I believe I heard at one recent budget meeting that the full cost could be even higher), and Council moving the cost of that service to residents, it doesn’t seem likely that the $2 per month will be refunded. The new trash rate expected to go into effect in October will raise the trash fee to $14 per month.
I don’t recall whether there was a notice sent out when the RecycleBank program ended here, or if an explanation was given. It seemed like my wife received an email notification from RecycleBank that the rewards program was ending, but that was several years ago and I don’t remember if it included an explanation.
I hope that helps a little. I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.
Thank you,
John