Peabody To Implement New, $200 Trash Fee After Final City Council Approval

PEABODY, MA — Peabody residents will find the new, $200 per-unit trash fee on their water and sewer bills after final approval of the City Council.

The fee is effective as of July 1 and will appear on bills beginning this fall.

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The Council voted 8-3 to approve the first-ever fee in the city, along with an 8 percent increase in water and sewer rates, in what Mayor Ted Bettencourt has called a "last option" to avoid requesting a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override.

• 'A Day I Have Dreaded For Many Years': Peabody Mayor's $200 Trash Fee Gains City Council Favor

Bettencourt allowed that proposing the fee is something he had "dreaded for many years," but that he felt he faced no choice amid rising costs for municipal employee health insurance, as well as school and pension costs, amid stagnant state aid and limited other revenue sources.

The Council approved the fee for a first vote at the conclusion of a six-hour night of meetings on June 3. Councilors Anne Manning-Martin, Wendy Latoff, and Jaclyn Corriveau voted against the fee on Thursday.

The fee includes a $100 discount for seniors and veterans in the city who own and live in their own homes.

There are also discounts for residents who compost and those who have other financial hardships.

The City Council included Bettencourt's proposed amendment to the ordinance change that would preclude an increase in the fee for five years — the length remaining on the current contract with Republic Services.

The Mayor's office has created The City of Peabody Trash Fee Information Guide, which includes details on the fee, eligibility criteria, how to apply for an abatement, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Residents wishing to apply for an abatement may submit the Trash Fee Abatement Form online. Paper applications are also available at the Mayor's office at City Hall, all three Peabody library branches, and the Torigian Senior Center.

Completed applications may be mailed or delivered to: Mayor's Office, Peabody City Hall, 24 Lowell Street, Peabody, MA 01960.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and there is no deadline to apply.

Residents with questions may contact the Mayor’s office at 978-538-5700.