Jamestown Board of Public Utility customers will pay $2 more a billing period for solid waste disposal next year.

David Leathers, BPU general manager, told The Post-Journal that the BPU on Monday approved the 2020 budget for solid waste, which included the $2 increase.

The fee, prior to the recycling credit, would increase from $21 to $23 for city residents, which would be an increase from $10.50 to $12.50 for customers who recycle once a billing period.

For outside city residents, the fee would increase from $27.50 to $29.50, and with the recycling credit, would go from $17 to $19. Last month, Kelly Hawkins, BPU finance and customer accounts manager, said the increase is the only proposed one in the five-year capital plan for the solid waste division.

The board also approved the schedule of fees is also being proposed to increase for the number of excess bags going from $3 to $5. Also for an additional recycling bin the cost would increase from $8 to $12; for a replacement bin the cost would increase form $10 to $15; and for an unreturned bin the cost would also increase from $10 to $15.

The board also approved the 2020 district heating budget, which had no rate increase.

The board was presented the draft budgets for wastewater and water division budgets on Monday. Leathers said there is no proposed rate increase for either division. He said in November, the board will also receive the draft electric division budget, which is scheduled to be vote on by the board in December.

“We are hopeful that solid waste will be the only division of the five with rate adjustment next year,” Leather said.

In other BPU business, new board member Jim Olson attended his first meeting, Leathers said. In September, the Jamestown City Council approved Olson to be a member of the board to fill the unexpired term of Tyler Case, who resigned last month from the board because he is moving out of the area because of a new job. Olson is the interim city clerk and financial services director. Olson will serve out Case’s remaining term on the board, which runs through 2021.

The board also approved the BPU energy efficiency programs for 2020. Last month, Dan Reynolds, BPU energy efficiency coordinator, said the 2020 energy efficiency programs are changing by eliminating the Lighting and Motor Rebates for Commercial and Industrial Customers and Home Energy Audits and Weatherization Rebates for Residential Customer programs.

One of the energy efficiency projects Reynolds proposed for next year is continuing the changing of high-pressure sodium fixtures and bulbs to energy-efficient LED. He said there are about 700 high-pressure sodium street lights left in the city that could be changed to LED for an estimated cost of $75,000.

Earlier this year, BPU board approved a resolution to convert 1,000 high-pressure sodium street lights to LED. This year’s conversion followed the 1,142 fixtures and bulbs the BPU converted in 2018.