Bucyrus Trash Costs Spark Confusion, Questions and Clarifications

By April Rodgers | FreeWire Your News Your Voice

Somehow, Bucyrus’ trash fund has taken on a life of its own. What should have been a routine discussion about rising costs turned into confusion, assumptions about intent, and a narrative that simply doesn’t line up with the records.

Before this goes any further, the facts matter.

Rumpke’s in county rates have not increased. That has been confirmed and is not in dispute.

Now, how we got here.

Friday night’s special council meeting was not called because of trash rates. The meeting focused on airport grants, Facebook page administration, and trash rates. 

During public participation, a few citizens approached the podium and stated they had contacted Rumpke directly. They said Rumpke told them there has been no rate increase since 2020. One citizen accused Council person Kevin Myers and Service Safety Director Tommy Starner of being deceptive.

That statement about no rate increase is true. But it is also incomplete.

The issue was never rates. The issue was cost.

During a prior Service Committee meeting, Myers used the word “rate” when he should have said “cost.” That single word choice created confusion and opened the door for assumptions and accusations.

Bucyrus pays Rumpke per dump, covering everyday household trash to street sweepings. Even when rates stay the same the total amount the City pays can and does increase over time.

And it has.

What The Records Show

Documents from the Bucyrus Auditor’s Office show the City paid:

• $278,528 in 2019
  
• $352,106 year-to-date in 2025
  

That’s an increase of roughly $75,000 over 6 years, or about 4 to 5 percent annually. In today’s economy, that increase is not shocking and tracks closely with inflation and rising operational costs across nearly every sector.

Whether residents ultimately support or oppose a trash rate increase is a fair and necessary discussion. But the underlying cost increase itself is real, documented, and measurable.

Where clarification matters

In a message to FreeWire, Myers acknowledged the confusion. He said he initially believed the higher costs were tied to a rate increase and later realized that wasn’t accurate. His concern, he explained, wasn’t the reason for the increase, but the reality that the City is paying more overall, and that without adjustments, the trash fund could eventually face a deficit,.

That clarification doesn’t erase the original misstatement. Words matter, especially in public meetings. But it does provide important context.

This wasn’t a hidden rate hike.

This wasn’t a secret deal.

It wasn’t an attempt to mislead residents.

It was a misunderstanding, one that grew louder than it deserved to be.

As the discussion continues, the records make one thing clear: costs have increased, even without a rate change, and that reality will shape what comes next.

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