DeKalb County Committee Meeting: Sanitation, Stormwater, and Watershed Contracts - June 18, 2026
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Committee Meeting Summary - June 18, 2026
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners held a committee meeting on June 18, 2026, to discuss and vote on several major items, including sanitation rate increases, tire tip fee adjustments, a stormwater utility fee increase, and a large multi-year watershed management contract. The meeting began at approximately 2:30 PM and included presentations from staff, debate among commissioners, and votes on each item. The meeting ended around 5:00 PM with several items deferred to a future special called meeting, due to time constraints.
Discussion Items
- Sanitation Rate Increase (Agenda Item 2026-0930): Director McKinney presented a proposed rate increase for residential and commercial landfill fees and transfer station tipping fees. The proposal aimed to address a projected $31 million deficit in 2027, ballooning to $66 million in 2028 if no action was taken. Originally proposed as a 25% increase, the plan was revised to two 15% increases followed by 10% increases for eight years. Staff recommended against a discount for households within a two-mile radius of the landfill but suggested a potential city incentive program starting in 2027. Commissioner Terry proposed several amendments, including a tiered minimum scale fee, tire fee adjustments, an environmental equity discount for nearby residents, a composting facility commitment, city incentives for composting, and a senior/disabled exemption. After debate, the commission voted on the base rate increase without amendments. The motion passed 2-1.
- Tire Tip Fee Adjustment (Agenda Item 2026-0744): Commissioner Terry proposed adjusting tire tip fees from a flat $1 to a tiered structure based on staff research: $3.50 for tires under 18 inches, $16 for tires over 18 inches, and $30 for tires with rims. Staff supported the change, noting it would have a nominal fiscal impact. A motion to approve the amendment carried 3-0.
- Environmental Equity Resolution (Agenda Item 2025-1787): Commissioner Terry presented a resolution to enhance environmental equity, including a discount for households within a half-mile or two-mile radius of the landfill. Staff recommended against approval, citing a fiscal impact of $1.5 million per year (over $24 million over 10 years) and potential precedent-setting policy concerns. Commissioner Johnson expressed concerns about equity for other users. Commissioner Terry offered compromises, including a smaller zone or a pause on rate increases for nearby residents. The resolution was denied 2-1.
- Stormwater Utility Fee Increase (Agenda Item 2026-0587): Staff presented a proposed stormwater utility fee increase of approximately $1 per month (10%) to fund critical infrastructure repairs and capital improvements. Rich Gruole from Public Works explained the need, citing 155 pipes in poor condition, 70 locations needing lining, and over 200 detention ponds requiring assessment. Commissioner Terry requested inclusion of $700,000 annual set-aside for green infrastructure (previously $350,000) and concurrent completion of remaining watershed master plans. A friendly amendment was accepted, and the motion passed 3-0, with details to be worked out in the ordinance.
- Watershed Management Multi-Year Contract (Agenda Item 2026-0927): Staff presented a proposed award for indefinite quantities water, sewer, and emergency multi-year contracts totaling $325,572,028.52 to six contractors: Georgia Sewer and Storm LLC, GS Construction Inc., Instaform Technologies LLC, Ruby Collins Inc., SAK/SAC Construction LLC, and S D and C Inc. The contracts cover water and sewer infrastructure repairs, replacements, and emergency responses over four years. Commissioner Johnson and others questioned oversight, blasting protocols, and community engagement. A motion to approve passed 3-0.
Key Outcomes
- Sanitation Rate Increase (2026-0930): Approved 2-1. The specific rate structure (two 15% increases followed by 10% increases) was adopted. No discounts or amendments were included.
- Tire Tip Fees (2026-0744): Approved 3-0 with the tiered fee structure ($3.50, $16, $30). This amendment will be incorporated into the sanitation rate ordinance.
- Environmental Equity Resolution (2025-1787): Denied 2-1. No further action.
- Stormwater Utility Fee Increase (2026-0587): Approved 3-0 with a friendly amendment to set aside $700,000 annually for green infrastructure (using rolled-over prior-year funds for the first year) and to complete remaining watershed master plans concurrently. The ordinance will be drafted for final approval.
- Watershed Management Contracts (2026-0927): Approved 3-0. The $325.6 million multi-year awards to six contractors were authorized.
- Next Steps: Due to time constraints, several remaining agenda items were deferred. A special called committee meeting will be scheduled as early as Monday, June 22, 2026, to address unresolved items and discuss the independent monitor for the Board of Commissioners.
Meeting Transcript
This is a big picture thing again about um maybe some redundancy, but just more per cart, some some the additional cards for some users, right? Here's what some of that language looks like again years out as we as we continue to support the best service in the state. Commercial proposed uh fees, um same same thing, some granular increases to have support our growing operation from commercial services, um equipment and the needs of community for those business owners getting dumpsters, roll-off containers, and roll carts. It's a little small, but it just talks about some more fees over time. Um based on the same models. Um I won't go through the entire presentation because again it's just it gets granular and granular and granular. I want to kind of stay stay focused on the biggest impact, and we've come to you with is the residential fees, and that's where we are. Um so let's go back here. It's a great place to kind of land on as we further our conversation. Oh at this point, uh, and what I'd like to just share, and we did um review the proposal that was presented relative to a discount for um for households within a two-mile radius, and we have some some numbers there. That's not something that we are recommending. Um, and you'll see the fiscal impact, and then there's a city um uh proposal that is something that we may be able to consider in 2026. Uh but would the uh we would want the board to approve something that it would come on automatically in 2027 unless we came back and uh requested that it not okay. But those are just some some thoughts. Are you basically saying sorry, Zach? You're basically saying uh propose the rate increase, but it takes effect for the municipalities in 27 and they've got more time to correct uh prepare their budgets for that. Correct. And and then hopefully we've we've made the the point over time uh in our discussions that you know the sanitation department um like many other uh departments, but it has had need. Uh we have done those things possible to reduce operating cost uh with the whether it's reduction to one day a week, um, you know, those those types of things. So we we've squeezed the efficiency we believe out of the system. But we're at a point uh whether it's the rising cost in fuel, whether it's the rising cost of employees, that in order to keep up and sustain and maintain um the department, uh we just need this this rate increase to move forward. So okay. Um I guess to take this one slice at a time. Could you go back to the uh projected to deficit screen? I think it was page two or three. Yeah. Okay. Some with all the bar graphs. Yeah, no, go back to going back. Uh nope, not those bar graphs. I'll just hand it to him and quick messing with this. Yeah. I got right there. Okay. So um again, uh, just for those who are uh at home watching, um, and commissioners are already knowledgeable about this. If we did nothing, 2027, it looks by your information, Director McKinney, that the county is facing just about a 31 million dollar deficit, uh, and then 28 at balloons to almost 66 million. Am I reading those? Absolutely. That is correct. Okay. And so um, and I'm just sort of recapping what's been talked about. Y'all came to us with a 25% rate increase, and we said that might be a bit dramatic for our residents, and then you came back with two fifteen's yes, uh, followed by uh uh eight uh pardon me uh uh 10 percent for the next eight eight years after that. So that's uh a way that we'll hopefully keep the uh or get the balance uh in the positive for uh the enterprise fund. Um so this is sort of where where I'm at uh commissioners, uh commissioner uh Terry, are you questions, comments, and we're gonna just keep it if it's okay right now, focused on just the conversation of the rate increase itself, and then we're gonna get into your proposal after that. Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I have did you get this right here? So what I'm handing out is just the um the proposals that I brought up at the um town hall meeting in the last uh committee meeting. And so um I've just I've got them all laid out here, so happy to um go over these potential policies at the right time. So I don't know if you want to use the question itself of of the rate increase, no other you you know what you know, and there's no need to go into more.
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