Residents in Grays Harbor County can expect their garbage rates to increase.

While the Grays Harbor County commissioners postponed approving a rate increase for 2018 during the Sept. 25 commission meeting, the increase likely will pass during a meeting in the near future.

In total, residents can expect rates to increase by $4.27. Currently, the central transfer station tip fee is $96.73, so the rate will increase to $101 in January.

According to LeMay Inc., the average homeowner with every other week garbage service can expect the new tip fees to increase their monthly payment by 29 cents.

The commissioners on Monday postponed the vote because Commissioner Wes Cormier said he wanted “additional information.”

During the media information session, Cormier said he hoped that when the commissioners ultimately vote on the issue that the increase will be shown as two separate parts, with two separate votes.

While LeMay is increasing the fee by $2.81, the county is asking to increase the fee by $1.46.

The county’s increase is aimed to cover newly assessed B&O taxes the state says the county owes because it is transferring waste. The commissioners disagree saying that LeMay is contracted to transfer the waste and therefor should be charged the B&O tax.

Some of the county’s increase also will go to cover reduced state funding for solid waste enforcement, recycling programs, roadside litter collection and free disposal of “moderate risk waste.”

As for LeMay’s increase, the company has a 20-year contract with the county stating that there will be an annual cost of living increase that is 85 percent of the Consumer Price Index. That works out to $1.98 for 2018. Additionally, the contract with the county states the tip fee will increase if the cost of fuel is greater than the previous year. That is another 83-cent increase.

Commissioner Wes Cormier noted that he voted against the 20-year contract, and he has been outspoken about his disdain for the 20-year contract in the past. The other commissioners, Randy Ross and Vickie Raines, were not on the board of commissioners in 2014 when the contract was approved.

Commissioner Vickie Raines says she likely would have voted against the contract if she had been on the board.