MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The Murfreesboro City Council voted Thursday, May 18, 2023, to support continued adjustments in the Solid Waste Fee Structure toward a self-supporting utility operation.

On May 10, 2023, the City Council reviewed a 10-year Solid Waste Plan Update including the continued strategy to move Solid Waste toward a self-supporting utility in anticipation of the closing of Middle Point Landfill.

“The long-planned increase moves the City Solid Waste utility service toward self-supporting operations,” said Assistant City Manager Darren Gore. “The 10-year Solid Waste Plan includes a gradual fee increase over eight years toward the goal of full recovery.” 

The FY24 fee adjustment proposed is a $2.00 increase from $7.50 to $9.50 per month for weekly residential curbside trash collection. Commercial service is proposed to increase $5.00 from $30.00 to $35.00 per month for bi-weekly pickup for customers outside the City Core Overlay. Commercial carts inside the City Core Overlay will remain at $30.00 per month for bi-weekly pickup.

With final approval of the FY24 budget, customers will notice the latest fee increase effective July 1, 2023, on the customer’s Water Resources account or Consolidated Utility District account billing. The increase in residential and customer Solid Waste collection service will generate an additional $1.44 million to City revenues, totally $6.7 million and covering over 60 percent of the Solid Waste Department’s $10.5 million in the proposed budgeted FY24 expenses. During the interim, the City’s General Fund will continue to support this service.

The 10-year Solid Waste Plan also includes plans for a Materials Management Station and Qualified Biogas Facility at 2120 Butler Dr. to process City trash into a biomass fuel feedstock for generating renewable natural gas. Regardless of whether the renewables project becomes reality, the City must still proceed with a Materials Management Station (or Transfer Station) to transfer trash to semi-trucks for transporting to an out-of-state landfill. Learn more on “The Insider” podcast https://youtu.be/wJ4kI8NpYwo.