Municipal trash collection rates will increase this spring, following a decision by Canadian’s City Council this month, and their adoption of an ordinance establishing new monthly base rate charges. The rate hike is the first in two years.

The action followed a presentation by City Manager Joe Jarosek, in which he reported that although staff managed to keep Sanitation Fund expenses under budget for the year and to delay capital equipment purchases, expenses still exceeded revenues, resulting in an operating loss of $2,719. Jarosek also cited an unanticipated expense of $15,000 for repairs to the department’s front-end loader.

“The Sanitation Fund Balance of $27,627 is inadequate to offset any unforeseen expenses or to build a surplus,” Jarosek reported, adding that a surplus will be needed to offset unforeseen expenses and to replace a trash collection truck within the scheduled eight years.

Following his recommendations, the council authorized an across-the-board 7.5 percent increase to all rates charged for weekly garbage collection furnished by the city. Beginning May 1, the monthly base rate charge for residential service (single-family) will be $30.05, for commercial $45.07 per container, and for additional unscheduled pick-up service $10.01 (residential), and $14.18 per container (commercial).

Weekly service to customers outside the city limits is charged at 200 percent of the normal rate per container, with an additional hauling charge according to the zone in which the customer is located. Additional incremental charges for each zone are $15.52 in Zone A, $33.38 in Zone B, $50.05 in Zone C, and $66.74 in Zone D, with an additional charge of $4.34 per mile of highway beyond Zone C.

The rate increase is expected to raise an additional $44,835 in annual revenue.

In other business:

• In their February 19 meeting, the council approved an agreement with the Canadian Community Center for management of the municipal swimming pool. The agreement provides a lump sum of $21,000 to the CCC for managerial services, the retainage of all pool revenue, the requirement to provide liability insurance, and the discretion to manage day-to-day tasks. Under the agreement, the City Water Department staff will continue to maintain the facility and equipment. In this week’s meeting, the council also approved two amendments to the agreement, stipulating that lifeguards wear appropriate (non-revealing) attire, and that the pool will be closed each Monday for water treatment.

• Three architectural firms—Open Range, Sheila Simms, and Charles Lynch—have responded to the city’s advertised Request for Statements of Qualifications (RFQ) for design of a new City Hall building. Interviews with those firms began this week, and will conclude with a committee’s recommendations to the council.

• Because the May 4, 2024, City Council election resulted in no contested races, the council certified the slate of unopposed candidates—incumbents Ashlee Talley, Gary Prater and Wendie Cook—and ordered the election to be cancelled.

• The council approved a formal proclamation declaring April 2024 Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. In 2023, the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services confirmed 69,549 victims of child abuse or neglect, including 193 in Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts and Wheeler counties. The proclamation notes that child abuse and neglect are serious problems affecting every segment of the community—ones that can have long-term psychological, emotional and physical effects, with lifelong consequences for the victims. It also cited the importance of working together as a community to increase awareness of child abuse, and to promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families in a safe, stable and nurturing environment. Volunteers with CASA—Court Appointed Special Advocates—are assigned to speak up for a child’s best interest and help ensure a child’s voice is heard. In 2023, 9,590 CASA volunteers spoke for the best interest of 23,943 children in Texas, the proclamation noted, adding that roughly less than half the children in foster care in this state have CASA volunteer representation, and that more volunteers are needed. “CASA of the High Plains, Child Protective Services, Child Advocacy Centers, foster parents, teachers and others work to ensure that children in our community have a safe, happy future,” the proclamation concluded.