Port St. Lucie eyes increases to stormwater, garbage rates, hearings and votes yet to come

PORT ST. LUCIE — Garbage and stormwater fees are likely to increase next fiscal year, according to preliminary rates approved unanimously by the City Council on Monday.

Those votes also set the date for public hearings where residents can voice their opinions to the council, followed by potential votes on the rates.

The hearings will take place 1 p.m. Sept. 9 at City Hall, 121 SW Port St Lucie Blvd.

The rates, which will not be finalized until the council votes, would take effect Oct. 1. As with other aspects of the city budget, the rates could be changed before final approval. Hearings on the overall budget are scheduled for Sept. 9 and Sept. 23, both at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

The garbage collection, disposal and recycling rate is expected to go up by $13.77 per household, from $432.67 to $446.44, according to city documents. That would be a roughly 3.12% increase.

The stormwater rate, is expected to go up by $5, from $178 to $183, for the average property with 2,280 square feet of impervious area, according to city documents. That would be a roughly 2.8% increase.

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Meanwhile, as the city prepares to raise garbage rates with current-provider FCC Environmental Services, it continues to pursue a lawsuit against the previous provider, Waste Pro. That lawsuit once had a trial date set for July 1. Instead, at a hearing also on July 1, the case was pushed back indefinitely. On Aug. 7, Waste Pro filed a motion to have the case thrown out. The city has yet to respond.

Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hearings scheduled for garbage and stormwater rate increases in PSL