Middlefield Council Opposes Rumpke Fuel Surcharge
A request Rumpke Waste and Recycling Inc. made to Middlefield Village Council for a slight increase in the fuel surcharge in its contract was given a thumbs-down June 13.
A request Rumpke Waste and Recycling Inc. made to Middlefield Village Council for a slight increase in the fuel surcharge in its contract was given a thumbs-down June 13.
Village Mayor Ben Garlich asked if council would be willing to increase the fuel surcharge due to the state’s increase in diesel fuel prices.
Village Administrator Leslie McCoy said that breaks down to 9 cents a stop per month because of proposed fuel increases by state.
Village Fiscal Officer Nick Giardina said the higher surcharge would increase the cost to the village about $800 per year.
Garlich said the cost of diesel fuel has “fluctuated all over the map since they got the contract.”
“When they bid it, (the price of diesel) dipped and we didn’t go after them for a reduction,” he said, adding surcharges never go away even if fuel costs drop.
Councilman Sam Morrow said the village has increased water and sewer charges to residents and he doesn’t feel they need a trash collection increase.
Village Solicitor Tom Lee said he would check the contract, but he was not in favor of increasing the surcharge.
Historically, fuel surcharges in industry are not rolled back when fuel prices go down, he said.
Garlich said he would be more willing to consider the surcharge increase if the village could renegotiate the contract in a year, but, since it is a five-year contract, he is opposed to the increase.
Council voted not to amend the contract with Rumpke.
In other business, Klein said the streets committee and McCoy reported the village received a transportation improvement plan grant for $85,000 from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency to study all the roads, bike paths, buggy lanes and traffic lights in the village.
The study could help the village qualify for other grants to improve its transportation infrastructure, he said.
Village Director of Streets and Utilities Joe Tucholsky reported the village tornado sirens were recently repaired by workers from American Signal Corporation, of Wisconsin.
Two employees spent two days in Middlefield repairing two sirens.
The Geauga County policy requires that if a tornado is seen to be moving toward the village, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office would set off the sirens, Tucholsky said.
Gambosi McCoy said the Geauga County Auditor’s Office is working on a formula to show how Middlefield Village property taxes would change if Cardinal Schools consolidated with Berkshire Schools.
Garlich, who championed the idea over the last year, said residents may have thought he was done urging a consolidation, but things can change.
“You never know what will happen in November,” he said.
