The approved plan changes how Bonner Springs and Edwardsville may pay for services like Household Hazardous Waste events and Dumpster Days, but KCK ratepayers will still cover other shared solid waste costs.
Unified Government (UG) Commissioners were asked to decide how much of the city’s solid waste services should continue to be paid through the monthly fee charged to Kansas City, Kansas, residents at the May 7 Full Commission meeting.
The discussion centered on a simple but important question: Should KCK residents pay only for their own residential trash and recycling services, or should their monthly solid waste fee continue covering other costs tied to UG operations, illegal dumping, graffiti cleanup, and solid waste services used by residents from Bonner Springs and Edwardsville?
Solid Waste Management staff presented three options. The most direct option, Scenario B, would have removed all added subsidies from the KCK residential solid waste fee. Under that option, KCK residents would have paid only for residential trash service, Household Hazardous Waste events, Dumpster Days, and the Recycling & Yard Waste Center. It also would have kept the monthly rate flat in 2027 at $20.15.
Commissioners did not choose that option.
Instead, the Commission voted 7-1 to approve Scenario C. That option keeps several shared costs in the KCK residential solid waste fee, including trash and waste collection tied to UG facilities, city and county operations, illegal dumping cleanup, and graffiti cleanup. However, it changes how Bonner Springs and Edwardsville residents may pay to use certain UG solid waste programs.
Under the approved plan, KCK residents will no longer directly cover the difference between what Bonner Springs and Edwardsville residents pay and the actual cost to provide services such as Household Hazardous Waste events, Dumpster Days, and the Recycling & Yard Waste Center.
According to Solid Waste Manager Diana Miles, KCK residents currently subsidize several costs through their monthly solid waste fee. Those include trash collection at city and county facilities, city department waste, illegal dumping disposal, and graffiti cleanup. Those costs total more than $600,000 per year.
Miles also explained that Bonner Springs and Edwardsville residents currently pay $3.54 per visit for some solid waste services, while the actual cost is about $208 per visit.
That means KCK ratepayers have been helping cover the gap.
The approved plan does not fully remove subsidies from the KCK solid waste fee. KCK residents will continue helping pay for UG facility collection, illegal dumping cleanup, and graffiti cleanup. But the vote does reduce the amount KCK residents pay for the use of certain UG solid waste services by residents of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville.
The monthly solid waste fee is expected to increase by $1.20 in 2027, bringing the monthly rate to $21.35. The current arrangement will remain in place through 2026.
Commissioners spent much of the discussion weighing fairness against practical service needs. Several Commissioners said illegal dumping cleanup should remain funded because it affects residents across the community and often hurts people who did not create the problem.
Commissioner Melissa Bynum said illegal dumping can place an unfair burden on property owners, including older residents, when someone dumps trash or furniture near their property. She said spreading those cleanup costs across the community may be fairer than placing the full burden on one person.
UG staff clarified that the vote does not necessarily prevent Bonner Springs and Edwardsville residents from using the programs. Instead, the UG would need to work with those cities on a more accurate cost structure. That could include billing the cities or charging their residents a higher amount when they use the service.
The decision was one of three utility rate votes taken Thursday. Commissioners also approved separate rate plans for stormwater and sanitary sewer service.
