The tire disposal price currently in place for businesses is proving costly for the county.
At the joint county ARP Review Committee and Safety and Beer Board Committee meeting Monday night, Sanitation Department director Josh Roberts mentioned the need for a tire disposal increase.
“I have been doing some digging and we are going to have to up that and we are going to have to start charging businesses. Last year alone, we lost $30,000 and this year we are projected to lose $60,000,” said Roberts.
Roberts said it costs businesses $1.35 for disposal, but it costs the county $7.97 to then dispose of them.
“That is something we really have to work on and get those prices up because the taxpayer is footing the bill for a lot of these businesses here in Warren County and I just don’t think that’s right,” said Roberts.
“The tire disposal money you pay when you go wherever and get a tire isn’t covering it, is it?” asked Commissioner Carl D. Bouldin.
“No. They can charge what they want to and they can pocket it. They are just paying the $1.35,” said Roberts.
Roberts said businesses that are registered with the state do not even have to pay the standard $1.35, but are, in turn, taking money for a disposal fee from customers.
“Right now, if you’re a business, and I don’t want to point out any business, and you’re registered with the state you don’t pay us a dime. When we send your tires off, say for semi tires, we are losing $7 per tire, but they are charging that customer and pocketing it,” said Roberts.
Roberts stressed that the Sanitation Department is not trying to make a profit, they just want to break even.
“It is not right. I had a business owner tell me that he didn’t care what we charge he wasn’t going to do it for free and was going to charge the consumer. He said if you charge me like you do now $1.50 per passenger tire I am going to charge $7 or $8 for my time,” said Roberts.
Roberts is hoping to get a per-ton price in place to help with this problem.
“We pay per ton a disposal fee. If we could get a rate in place per ton and start weighing them at the office, we could charge them per weight as close as possible to try and break even,” said Roberts.
The Safety Committee will discuss this further at its next meeting.
