You may not know exactly what it is or how to do it, but composting was a major topic at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
In a narrow 4-3 vote, Longmont City Council directed city staff to draft an ordinance that subsidizes the price of composting by raising some solid waste rates. Councilmembers Crystal Prieto, Jake Marsing and Diane Crist were in opposition.
The motion would effectively lower composting rates by 40%.
Let’s rewind:
City council has made it a major priority to divert 75% of citywide waste from the landfill by 2030. By 2050, it wants to be at 95%. The seven-member team sees residents’ embrace of composting as a significant part of accomplishing that goal.
But, following a sanitation rate study in 2025, the City of Longmont felt it necessary to raise the price of composting by 50%.
Fearing the price hike would deter too many customers, the city began exploring the prospect of subsidies in August.
Fast forward to Tuesday night, city staff provided a presentation outlining the impacts of a 20%, 40% and 60% subsidy.
‘Trash’ course:
If the 40% subsidy is ultimately approved later this year, here’s how monthly prices would change:
Composting: 48-gallon: $4.95 (Down from $12.40). 96-gallon: $7.43 (Down from $12.40).
Solid waste: 48-gallon: $15.55 (Up from $15.40). 96-gallon: $34.55 (Up from $28.80).
Important caveat: Residents who use the 24-gallon option would see their prices decrease from $7.70 to $6.91.
Per city council direction to motivate residents to reduce total waste, the plan disproportionately raises prices for the 96-gallon option, while also lowering the 24-gallon route.
Other facts revealed Tuesday:
Despite the 50% increase in composting rates this year, 75 new customers opted into the service.
Using the 40% subsidy, city staff projected that a household which uses a 48-gallon compost bin along with a 48-gallon trash bin would save nearly $15 more every month than the household who only uses a 96-gallon trash bin.
City staff, along with hired consultants, project the 40% subsidy would translate to a 10% increase in compost participation. Although, Longmont Director of Business Enablement Lance Smith admitted they don’t currently have historical data to support that projection.
Keep your ‘composture’
On the part of councilmembers who voted against the idea, motives varied:
Marsing is unconvinced a subsidy would achieve increased composting in Longmont. He preferred the city take action to educate locals on the importance of composting.
Prieto is simply reluctant to raise prices on anything.
Crist was a proponent of subsidizing composting even more, suggesting the city implement a 60% subsidy. Mayor Pro Tem Sean McCoy was a staunch supporter of the same idea. He says the landfill exceeding capacity is a major concern, describing the situation as “desperate.”
The proposal still needs to return to city council for its first and second reading before adoption.