The Waterloo City Council on Monday night approved an increase in the monthly household charge for trash and recycling pickup and approved a handful of other measures.

The new monthly charge for this service provided by Waterloo-based Reliable Sanitation, effective May 1, is $18.77. This includes a 50-cent recycling surcharge.

The new monthly charge represents a 70-cent increase from the prior year.

A previously entered contract between the City of Waterloo and Reliable Sanitation for refuse collection states that the monthly charge shall be increased by annual “Consumer Price Index based on all urban consumers” or 3 percent, whichever is greater. 

The CPI based on all urban consumers for 2023 was 4.1 percent, hence the 70-cent increase.

The CPI for 2022 was 8 percent, which equated to an additional $1.29 per month increase for trash/recycling pickup in 2023. 

A recently established program by the city that offers funding from video gambling revenue to nonprofit groups saw its first recipients Monday night. 

Three projects were approved for $5,000 each in grant funding. 

The first was to the Whiteside Station Chapter of the National Daughters of the American Revolution for its “America 250!” marker. 

The next was to Human Support Services for its project titled “Transforming Spaces.”

The last was to the Monroe County History Museum for its retaining wall replacement project.

The Community Nonprofit Grant Program was approved earlier this year following previously held committee meetings to discuss the matter.

Total grant funding available each year is $50,000, with grant amounts ranging from $500 to $5,000 per application. 

Nonprofit (501(c)(3) organizations eligible to receive this grant must operate on the local level or be an affiliate of a larger organization that operates locally and may only receive one grant per year.

All grant applications are reviewed by the Waterloo Beautification Committee, which consists of the mayor and five aldermen. 

Local nonprofits interested in applying for this grant may email communityrelations@waterloo.il.us or call Waterloo City Hall at 618-939-8600 for an application.

In other action from Monday night, the council approved Waterloo Beautification Grant applications from A&W Insurance and Republic-Times for work on their conjoined property at 209 and 205 West Mill Street, respectively, as well as an application from Groves Investments at 404 W. Third Street.

Previously approved beautification grants for Salt + Honey Bistro and Pound4Pound/Heartland Women’s Health were each granted six-month extensions. 

Prior to the regular meeting, a public hearing held on the city’s upcoming fiscal year budget set to be approved prior to May 1 took place without any comments from the public.

The next meeting of the Waterloo City Council is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 15, at City Hall.