Cedar Lake's trash and recycling fee may soon be going up. Residents currently pay the town $20 a month, but the town pays Republic Services $20.75 per month for each customer. And that's set to go up each year until the contract ends in May 2027.
Clerk-Treasurer Jennifer Sandberg is recommending raising the customer rate to $21.36 a month. It would then go up to $22.21 in June 2025 and $23.10 in June 2026. That would not only cover the cost to Republic Services, but also the town's cost of billing and rebuilding reserves from the current shortfall, according to information recently presented to the town council.
Meanwhile, Council President Nick Recupito said he hopes to extend Cedar Lake's contract with Republic Services for another year. "We've got some decent rates right now," Recupito said during a recent meeting. "I know some of the surrounding communities that are in newer contracts are a little bit above us, so just curious to see what they can do for a seventh year and hopefully secure a little bit of price stability for the ratepayers."
Council members plan to continue discussing the proposed rate hike during their next meeting on Tuesday.
