People are evidently cleaning up, and so is the local dump.

Increased business at the Delano Transfer Station has brought in enough extra money this spring to offset much of a projected loss, so rates will rise only slightly.

Dump rates will be raised $2 a ton, a negligible amount for casual dumpers, while spring cleaning has led to an increase in dumping and extra cash for the transfer station. 

Originally, in October of 2019, the Regional Board of Mayors had voted to raise dump rates at the Delano Regional Transfer Station half a cent a pound, or $10 a ton, to make up for a projected estimated loss of about $29,000 by then-Electric City Clerk Russ Powers. 

In March of 2020, the RBOM addressed the topic again.

The city of Grand Coulee didn’t like the idea of raising rates half a cent per pound, saying that the additional cost would likely lead Sunrise Disposal to raise their garbage rates, a cost that would end up raising the garbage bills of citizens. 

At the latest RBOM meeting June 8, Electric City Mayor Diane Kohout said she had spoken with someone at Sunrise Disposal, who said that they would likely just absorb a smaller raise in dump rates and wouldn’t raise their own rates in that scenario.

It was decided to raise the dump rates only a tenth of a cent per pound, or from 6.2 to 6.3 cents per pound, the equivalent of $2 a ton.

Currently the minimum dump charge, for loads up to 200 pounds is $13 including tax, and won’t need to go up to $13.05, they decided, to avoid the trouble that figure would cause in giving people their change.

Current Electric City Clerk Peggy Nevsimal responded to a Star email on Tuesday asking about the projected loss originally presented to the mayors last October.

“Right now we feel comfortable that any shortfalls that Mr. Powers projected will actually be covered by increased revenue and decreased expenditures,” Nevsimal said.

Revenue is up at the transfer station 3.5% from last year, Nevsimal explained, saying that increase is partly attributable to the stay-home orders leading to people cleaning out their garages, basements and yards and making extra trips to the dump.

The station has already reached 73% of their revenue goal for the year so far, rather than about 50%, as previously projected.

Additionally, expenses are down 3.3% from last year, Nevsimal explained, due primarily to reduced fuel costs and fewer trips to the landfill in Ephrata during the month the transfer station was open only on Saturdays.

The raise in dump rates from 6.2 to 6.3 cents per pound will take effect in September.