St. James City Administrator Leeann Demouche, on Nov. 10, told city council members about a public report regarding an ordinance related to solid waste and refuse collection fees.

DeMouche told the council about progress made since the first reading of the ordinance. She mentioned that the city held a public meeting about the solid waste increase on Oct. 23, where a total of six people signed in. 

“Most of the discussion was not really about the rates; they all understood that it's been 30 years and we’re really behind in the rates for the solid waste,” said DeMouche. 

The meeting’s discussion was mostly about recycling. 

“What we’re gonna try to do is a lot more education about recycling,” said DeMouche. “A lot of our residents thought that we were paying Rolla for our recycling, so that night we explained to them that we don’t pay Rolla for recycling.”

She mentioned to the council that if more people would recycle, the city could lower its tipping fees and keep the rates the way they are. 

“The more that we recycle, the less that will go into the landfill,” said DeMouche.

Discussion focused on recycling and the truck the city uses for recycling. 

“They just couldn’t believe that we had gone that many years without raising the rates,” said DeMouche. “The rate is a hefty raise of 49 percent, but I think we’ve been trying to put a lot of information out there and have public meetings so that the community does have a venue to give us their thoughts and concerns.”

Councilman Tyler Wagnon made a motion to approve the ordinance as presented. The motion passed with a 6-0 vote.

In other business, Amazon.com Services LLC is coming to St. James as an industrial customer and will be subject to a deposit for electricity usage. DeMouche told the council that their expected usage bill would be an estimated $21,000 per month. She requested that the council, on behalf of the municipal utilities board, approve a $5,000 deposit. 

“Was there a reason they picked $5,000?" asked Councilor William “Bill” Dunkus.

“When we told them it was $21,000, they first thought, let’s do one month, and then they asked, ‘how much is one month? $21,000,” said DeMouche. “We’ve never had that high.”

She mentioned that this deposit, being for Amazon, felt appropriate. 

Councilman David Bond made a motion to approve DeMouche’s request, which passed with a 6-0 vote.