Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement with Hillsborough County to take over trash service in areas of the city added after 1983.
Plant City is getting ready to take out the trash — all of it.
During a Monday, May 15, special meeting, City Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve an interlocal agreement that would have Plant City take over solid waste collection for areas annexed into the city after 1983.
The Solid Waste Disposal and Resource Recovery Act of 1983 allowed Hillsborough County to retain control of solid waste removal for certain parts of unincorporated Hillsborough County, even if those areas were annexed into other cities.
“Water and sewer services are already provided to those citizens by the city,” City Attorney Ken Buchman said. “Entering into this agreement allows us to provide more comprehensive services to our citizens. The City of Plant City servicing Plant City citizens makes sense.”
“Water and sewer services are already provided to those citizens by the city. Entering into this agreement allows us to provide more comprehensive
services to our citizens. The City of Plant City servicing Plant City citizens makes sense.”— City Attorney Ken Buchman
The Hillsborough County Commission will also have to approve the agreement, but commissioners seemed confident the deal would go through.
“It’s because of the relationships we’ve built in the county (that) we got this done,” Commissioner Mary Mathis said. “I can’t wait to see what else we can get done with the county commissioners and their staff.”
If the deal goes through, City Manager Mike Herr indicated in an agenda report that the city could generate income.
“The proposed ordinance will result in an estimated increase in cumulative net operating income of $7.6 million during the next 10 years for the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund,” Herr said in the report.
Commissioner Nate Kilton said the agreement “allows us to better serve our citizens and community in a way that will be sustainable for the future of Plant City.”
According to Vice-Mayor Bill Dodson, the deal was a long time coming and one that brings Plant City closer together. He said it’s taken the work of three administrations to make it happen. Mayor Rick Lott commended the efforts of Buchman to negotiate and finalize the agreement.
“This was a hard one, and you brought it home,” Lott said.
Under the agreement, Plant City will take over solid waste removal for all residential areas of the city annexed after the 1983 Act as of Jan. 1, 2018.
Commercial properties would remain under county control until the “termination of the County’s contracts for the collection of solid waste – either at the end of the renewal period (Sept. 30, 2023) or at the end of the initial period if the County chooses not to extend the contracts into the renewal period (Sept. 30, 2020),” Herr said in the agenda report.
The Hillsborough County Commission will vote on its portion of the agreement during a Board of County Commissioners meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 7 in the County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa.
Contact Daniel Figueroa IV at dfigueroa@plantcityobserver.com.
