Jamestown Board of Public Utilities recycling bin
District Heat rates are going up with possible changes to Yard Waste Site stickers and recycling bins in 2026.
The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities board received the update on District Heat, Solid Waste, and Wastewater budgets at their September meeting.
BPU Finance & Customer Accounts Manager Kevin Karr said District Heat rates will increase starting November 1 along with a monthly fuel cost adjustment and meter charges. He said infrastructure repairs and investments in District Heat will continue in 2025 with larger infrastructure work in 2026.
When it comes to Solid Waste, Karr said he doesn’t anticipate a rate increase for next year with revenue numbers looking positive. He said the 2025 budget does eliminate commercial dumpster service starting July 1, 2025, which also will result in one less garbage truck needing to be replaced in the BPU’s fleet.
Karr said adding a fee for the sticker to use the Yard Waste Site also was considered, “But, we bounced that to 2026 as a placeholder. I’d like to discuss that with the board in the future. We do charge for bags but not for the stickers.”
Karr said the recycling program is being discussed as well given that the RFID tags on the current orange bins are at the end of their useful life, “It’s causing issues in the field where people are recycling. So, we’re looking at different methodologies for collecting and getting recycling credits.”
Karr said $320,000 is set aside for new bins in the 2026 budget, but that direction could change. The orange bins were initially purchased in 2014.
City Council President and BPU Board member Tony Dolce asked if the division had looked into a zero sort option for recycling.
BPU General Manager David Leathers said staff is challenging him and Karr to look at the Recycling Incentive Program, “And instead of just quickly going out and saying we need new bins for the same exact program, there’s some improvement ideas and suggestions they’ve put forward that we haven’t found a workable solution yet on.”
Leathers said while there has been talk about zero sort recycling, there isn’t currently a local option to do that.
Karr added that the capital budget for Solid Waste does have the purchase of a new garbage truck. He said they are looking at the electrification of the fleet, which currently consists of four recycling trucks and six garbage trucks.
The Wastewater and Water Division also will not have a rate increase for 2025.
Are you kidding me?
Their rates are already ridiculously high
We that live here don’t get more money in either our paychecks or our retirement benefits but everyone just keeps jacking their prices up
When do we just get to say NO!
You don’t need to make that kind of profit off us
Soon it’s going to be eat or keep warm and wash
It’s not funny it’s a fact!
For recycling bins have you considered new stickers. Most bins I see are in good shape. If label is issue new labels would be alot cheaper than new bins, and a ton of plastic that will never break down sitting in landfill.