Board rejects fee hike request

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Lincoln County School Board members Monday denied a a contractcompany’s request to increase prices for its services to the schooldistrict.

Allied Waste Services of Central Mississippi informed the boardby letter that the district “may see a rate adjustment in the formof a fuel/environmental fee” on its next invoice. The company saysin the letter that the adjustment was being made because certaincosts involved in providing solid waste management servicescontinue to increase.

Superintendent Terry Brister said high gasoline prices anddamages from Hurricane Katrina have made it a tough year for a lotof businesses. Many are passing those costs onto their customers,he said.

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“The budget has already been set up and our costs have also goneup,” he said, citing sharp increases in the transportation andutility budgets. “I recommend you set a policy now on how to handlethese requests.”

In considering the Allied Waste Services request, District TwoBoard Member Johnny Hart said, “We wouldn’t get a refund if priceswent down. It was their bid.”

The company contracted to handle the district’s pest control hadsent a similar request a few weeks ago. That request was alsodenied.

Allied Waste Services now has the option of continuing to meetthe terms of its contract or breaking the contract, Bristersaid.