St. Johns County residents will pay more for trash collection beginning next year unless county staff and the Board of County Commissioners can identify cost reduction strategies.
Currently, residents pay $254 annually for curbside service, which includes unlimited collection and disposal of household garbage, yard waste and bulk waste, as well as weekly recycling pickup.
That would increase incrementally to $334 in 2026, $394 in 2027, $414 in 2028, $434 in 2029 and $454 in 2030. Provisions for rate increases were included in contracts with FCC Environmental Services Florida, which handles collection, and Waste Management, which handles disposal, signed in December 2023.
Commissioners voted unanimously for the increases, which represent a maximum allowed by law, with the idea that later they can renegotiate a reduction in services, which in turn would reduce the rate.
County residents speaking at the board’s Tuesday, Aug. 5, public hearing criticized the increase. Some pointed out an especially provocative statement in notices mailed to homeowners as worrisome for those with lower or fixed incomes.
It reads: “Failure to pay the assessments will cause a tax certificate to be issued against the property which may result in a loss of title.”
The statement, mandated by state statute, left some concerned that they could lose their homes if they cannot come up with the money to pay the increasing rates.
Commissioner Christian Whitehurst said his own family members were shocked by the increase.
“I don’t want to charge more,” he said. “That’s not my goal here. I’ve just not seen an option presented, or even discussed, that would lower the fee.”
“Reducing services is the only way to reduce the cost associated with this,” county Director of Public Works Greg Caldwell told the board. An example might be a reduction, or elimination, of recycling pickups.
But Whitehurst said he’s heard from many residents who opposed a reduction in services and said they would even be willing to pay more to maintain the current level.
The contract with FCC was actually terminated in 2024 after missed pickups across the county. However, FCC was contractually granted a year of service should there be such a termination. After a period of mediation, the commission voted to rescind the termination during its July 22 meeting.
Caldwell said FCC had come in as the top bidder, in part because other bids were significantly higher. In addition, some would only offer a reduced service level.
Even with the rate increases, Caldwell said FCC was still less expensive than its competitors.
