St. Cloud Trash Rates Could Increase in 2024, Proposed Budget Shows

(KNSI) – It could cost St. Cloud residents more to get rid of their trash in 2024.

It was part of the proposed 2024 enterprise funds budget presented Monday night.

The $53 million plan covers nine areas not paid for by property taxes: Water, wastewater, hydroelectric, stormwater, street lights, parking systems, and trash. It also includes the Municipal Athletic Complex and the River’s Edge Convention Center, which are paid for with user fees.

The cost for garbage hauling will go from $7.30 to $9.30 a month. Mayor Dave Kleis explained to KNSI News after the meeting that the city chose to look at the increase since “there has to be some type of flat fee because no matter what, they’re going to be coming by whether you have something out there or not. So that’s why it’s called a pass-by fee. So there is a cost for the truck just to come by and see if you have any garbage.”

St. Cloud residents can then rent a 95-gallon cart or use the city’s green garbage bags to dispose of their trash.

Other increases include yard waste bags jumping by a quarter from $1.25 to $1.50 and a compost permit increase by $5 from $25 to $30. The bag price was last changed in 2016, and the compost pass price has remained unchanged since 2007. Kleis explained that the prices had to be adjusted because “we can’t fight the fact of the increased costs in labor and fuel, those same inflation [costs] that everybody else has. But we increase it only when necessary to recover those costs.”

All other enterprise funds will remain the same. Residents can comment beforehand, but the city council will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget on December 16th.

Read the full budget here.

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