One day a week trash pickup, higher rates for curbside recycling and the elimination of free residential disposal at the landfill were among the ideas discussed to generate savings and revenue for the Tyler Solid Waste Department.

The discussion took place Wednesday during the Tyler City Council meeting. No decision was made.

Mayor Martin Heines said the council would continue to work through the issue in the coming months before making a decision.

Russ Jackson, the city’s director of solid waste, has said the department loses money on the residential side of its operation, and funds from commercial customers have been used to prop up residential service for years.

However, Jackson said Wednesday the city has started hitting roadblocks when it comes to capital purchasing and has had to dip into contingency funds.

The city needs to replace commercial containers, compactors, trucks and carts and is getting to the point where it is unable to do so. Maintenance costs also are increasing, Jackson said.

Starting last year, the city began a holiday trash pilot program, where solid waste crews picked up residential trash only once a week on holiday weeks, instead of the regular two.

However, in February the Council canceled the program by a unanimous vote. Though it saved about $100,000 a year, it caused confusion, complaints and cluttered the sides of city streets with trash receptacles, Jackson said at the time.

In April, the city hired the firm of SCS Engineers to evaluate its residential and commercial garbage collection rates.

Marc Rogoff, from the firm, presented the report Wednesday and outlined three potential rate scenarios moving forward.

The scenarios were: do nothing by keeping the same residential service rate and allowing commercial customers to subsidize the deficit; keep the same residential rate but eliminate free residential disposal at the landfill; or increase the residential monthly charge to eliminate subsidies from the commercial customers.

All administrative costs are presently subsidized by commercial service.

Rogoff recommended the city increase its monthly residential rate by $2.89 per household, and increase the residential rates annually based on the consumer price index.

Currently, residential customers pay a base rate of $14.07, which is reflected on their water bills.

Under the proposal, the monthly residential rate would go up to $16.96, plus taxes. The last rate increase was in 2012.

Two people addressed the Council about the issue, with one speaking out against it.

Jeraldine Gossett, 84, of Tyler said as a widow living on a fixed income she is against an increase in solid waste rates.

“When you’re on a fixed income, whether it’s $1, $2 or $3, you get a raise, but we’re not getting a raise,” she said.

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