MASSENA — The village’s Board of Trustees will be asked Tuesday evening to schedule a public hearing to discuss raising the monthly refuse rate by a minimum of $1.25.

Department of Public Works Superintendent Hassan A. Fayad said his department has seen increases in the county’s refuse rate for the last four years, but those price hikes have not been passed on to village residents.

Over the last four years, the tipping fee jumped $25 per ton of refuse, the most recent hike being a $5 per ton increase at the start of this year, according to Mr. Fayad. Municipalities are now charged $44 per ton for refuse dumped at the Rodman landfill.

The rate increases reflect landfill costs set by the Department Authority of the North Country, which handles refuse collection for St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Lewis counties. The current monthly refuse rate for village of Massena customers is $21.50.

Mr. Fayad said DANC has been lowering its recycling collection rates.

Over the last two years, recycling collection rates have dropped from $70 to $40 per ton.

“Certainly the movement is going green, saving the environment,” Mr. Fayad said. “There’s money to be saved in recycling.”

Mr. Fayad urged residents to appropriately discard paper products, cans, bottles and other recyclables, both to save money and to help conserve the environment.

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