PINEVILLE — After weeks of lengthy debate on the subject, the Bell County 109 Board on Solid Waste voted to extend existing contracts for garbage haul and disposal with Waste Connections and Mills Garbage Service, which will ultimately increase garbage pickup rates.

Because Waste Connections had increased their charge to the 109 Board for garbage disposal at their landfills, the board then had to pass that increase on to county garbage pickup services, which includes Mills.

Mills will raise their rates by $1, setting the regular monthly rate at $11 and the senior rate at $10, beginning in January 2010.

The five-year contracts for county waste pick-up and transportation expire this year and the board had to decide whether to renew the contracts, which were going to be more expensive, or put the contracts up for bid, according to board Chairman Kirby Smith.

Smith said that the county garbage service has the right to pass the increase on to the taxpayer.

Board members expressed their reluctance to raise the rates. They said they had not increased the rate in five years, except for a small fuel surcharge. Smith said Waste Connections had increased their charge for years and the board hadn’t increased their rates. But he said after the rate jumped again, they were forced to increase their own rates.

The board wants the public to consider garbage pickup rates in neighboring counties, and provided the Daily News with those rates. In 2007, Harlan County residents paid $14.87 per month; Knox County, as high as $14.75; Clay County, $14; and Rockcastle and Whitley County as high as $15.

They discussed their decisions in closed executive session.

The board approved Enforcement Officer Dewey Brock’s report on garbage dumps in the county. Brock issued 58 warning letters and worked on 17 complaints. Seven new customers were signed up for garbage service, eight dumps are identified in the solid waste plan, and one dump was worked on this month. Four dumps remain in the plan.

Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.