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Garbage Collection Fees Eligibility for garbage collection is based on property type and generally includes single family residential properties, multiple dwellings with six or fewer residential units,1 and certain businesses and commercial properties.2 The Code establishes parameters for garbage collection including the types of properties eligible for garbage collection services and a basic fee structure. The Code prohibits the City from providing collection and disposal of garbage for any properties categorized as a house of worship, group home, nonprofit organization or private school or club. The Code also states that the Council will annually determine the garbage collection fee (garbage fee) at an amount which allocates the total cost of garbage collection and disposal services among users in a fair and equitable manner. How Should Garbage Fees Be Assessed and Billed? The Council should establish and adopt policies and procedures to provide clear guidance for employees who are involved in the process of assessing and billing garbage fees and help ensure that all users receiving garbage collection services are assessed and billed accordingly. City officials should ensure compliance with the Code and that assessment and billing of garbage fees are in accordance with the Code and any applicable written policies and procedures. The Assessor should ensure permanent changes made to the garbage fee to be assessed on the property are updated in the assessment rolls in a timely manner. This helps ensure future billings are correct. In addition, billing errors identified should be corrected as soon as they are known to help ensure fees for services are billed accurately and in accordance with the Code. In accordance with the Code, users are required to pay one $254 garbage fee per year for each unit they own and for which the City collects garbage. Multiple dwelling properties can be billed up to six units. Multiple dwelling properties that exceed six units must contract with a private garbage collection company. Garbage Fees Were Not Always Properly Assessed and Billed While the Council did not adopt adequate policies or establish written procedures for assessing and billing garbage fees, the DPW clerk and Treasurer told us that the number of collection fees assessed to each property is based on the property type indicated on the assessment roll for each property. The Treasurer told us she 1 The Code allows for users who own multiple units to apply for garbage fee exemptions. Refer to the section titled “How Should Collection Fee Exemptions Be Supported and Processed?” 2 In general, the Code requires any business that exceeds 300 pounds of solid waste (two totes) to maintain a dumpster and/or retain private garbage collection services. However, if a dumpster cannot be placed on the premises, an application can be submitted to the Commissioner of Public Works for permission to purchase additional totes that the City would collect and dispose of for a fee to be determined by the Commissioner of Public Works, up to a maximum of four totes. 2 Of f ic e of t he New York State Comptroller