The South Bend Common Council is considering several measures to increase its solid waste fund, including hiking the trash fee for city residents or putting advertisements on the city’s trash bins.

The issue was discussed during the regular Common Council meeting on Monday night and will be revisited in August.

South Bend’s solid waste fund has fallen to about $330,000, much less than the recommended minimum $1.1 million, the South Bend Tribune reported. 

“We’ve got a declining cash balance, and it’s going to continue to decline … unless we either raise rates or drastically cut costs,” Public Works Director Eric Horvath said at the meeting, according to the Tribune.

The original proposal would increase the trash fee by 96 cents per month Sept. 1 and another 96 cents Jan. 1.

Other proposals include selling ads on the bins and the trash trucks, eliminating yard waste collection or spreading the fee hike out over time.

A public hearing on the proposals is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 24, according to the Tribune.

LOWERING ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES

In other business at the meeting, the Common Council called for more public discussion on a proposal to lower minimum academic requirements for student athletes at South Bend Community School Corporation.

The South Bend school board is considering a proposal to limit the minimum GPA requirements for middle school athletes and lower it for high school athletes, according to the Tribune.

The Common Council voted to recommend that the school board postpone its vote to give the public more time to talk about the issue.

The South Bend school board next meets Aug. 3.