Morgan City will get small hike in trash pick-up charge

Morgan City citizens can expect a 40 cent increase in their sanitation charge tied to the parish landfill’s tipping fee increase.
Their current landfill adjustment charge is $5.20, but it will jump to $5.60, or an 8.33% increase.
Per ton, the price of garbage will increase from $48 to $52.
On average, 1.2 tons of garbage are collected from a house per year, Mayor Lee Dragna said.
The increases will be included on citizens’ next bill.
Also, Dragna said he has been informed that natural gas prices will increase for Morgan City citizens, but he is not sure how much that will be yet.
Dragna said due to the many water breaks and higher usage of gas and electricity, citizens should anticipate above average bills during the winter.
In another matter, Finance Director Deborah Garber reported on the city’s annual statement on its Public Pension and Relief Fund.
While the city’s police department joined the state Municipal Employees Retirement System in 1977, the city was funding benefits for those who retired prior to the city joining the state system.
“We’ve been paying that for years,” Garber said. “As of January 2021, we no longer have any beneficiaries to pay.”
She said those payments were funded in the city’s General Fund.
In her monthly financial statement for January, Garber reported that the city’s general and ancillary funds had a favorable variance of $93,884.
She noted that sales taxes are over budget by $33,784 in the first month of the fiscal year. These revenues are included in the general and ancillary funds.
However, in the utility fund, she said that revenues are under budget by $356,000. Of that amount, $310,000 is electrical revenues. While not as much, operational expenses are under budget, too, by $203,200. The account has an unfavorable variance of $154,275 for the month from what was budgeted.
“So hopefully those two will begin to level out,” Garber said. “I don’t mind being under budget in revenues if we’re under budget in those purchase power costs.”
The city’s sanitation and sewer fund has a favorable variance of $36,587.
In another economic matter, the first reading was held for the creation of an economic development commission for the city.
It will be composed of five members from the public appointed by the mayor with council approval and two ad hoc councilmen. The members shall hold four-year terms.
Morgan City Coun-cilman Tim Hymel suggested making the council appointments on a rotating basis so all councilmen can participate.