Citizens opposing their subdivision falling under the purview of the county’s Universal Solid Waste Collection District received a major victory on Jan. 14.
The Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 against an ordinance that would have expanded the district from the Gulf to U.S. 41 while also encompassing numerous subdivisions within the Spring Hill area. It would impact approximately 24,833 homes. The final vote was met with applause from those in attendance.
A decision was needed on this expansion, with the county currently negotiating a request for proposals of the 2026 collection contract with Republic Services. That contract would be for seven years plus three more optional years.
“This will affect the pricing because the more we could put on the universal area, the easier it is for a hauler to do the billing and the collections and things,” Gordon Onderdonk, the county’s utilities director, stated in front of the BOCC at the Jan. 14 meeting. “It just improves efficiency dramatically, which would hopefully result in a lower price.”
Residents in Aripeka, Bayport, Hernando Beach, Lake in the Woods, Palm Grove Colony, Pine Island, Regency Oaks River Country, Weeki Wachee Gardens, Weeki Wachee Hills and Water of Weeki Wachee to the west, as well as Hernando Highlands, Deerfield Estates, parts of Masaryktown and Potterfied Gardens, Silver Ridge, Silverthorn, Springwood Estates, Tangerine Estates and Trillum to the east, plus other subdivisions such as Brookridge, Highpoint, The Heather, GlenLakes, Lake Hideaway, Sherman Hills and Rivard would all see waste collection added to their tax bills.
Numerous citizens spoke in front of the commissioners, echoing the same message: they did not want mandatory waste collection added to their taxes. Many levied accusations of government overreach and being forced to pay for some services they aren’t using, including convenience centers, and commissioners agreed.
“I can’t vote to put it on their taxes,” Commissioner Steve Champion said. “I’d love to vote for an ordinance that says these developments must have trash collection or dispose of their trash somehow. But as far as putting it on their taxes, I just fundamentally can’t do it.”
Mandatory trash pickup in areas within the district was approved by voters back in 1995. Current county ordinances call for a periodic review of the district boundaries, with the last expansion coming in 2013. The newest proposed expansion stemmed from BOCC workshops in 2023.
Commissioner Jerry Campbell, who was the lone vote in favor of the ordinance on Jan. 14, which would have granted the ability to expand but would not have approved the expansion, felt it came down to the board having to make a tough decision.
“This is a seven-year contract that we’re entering into. It’s going to limit our flexibility severely,” Campbell said. “I hear all this, I agree with all this, wholeheartedly agree with everything we’ve talked about. In my opinion, and I support the will of the board, but we have to make the best decision that we have right now.
“We’re talking about 40,000 homes have it mandated. We’re talking about adding 10,000 more. And that’s where you’ve got to make your decisions, with the majority of the people. I think we’re limiting our flexibility. I think we should move forward with everything we’re talking about, but we’re about to get into a seven-year contract. That’s why my vote landed where it landed.”
The BOCC also made a decision to approve an ordinance prohibiting the abandonment of newspaper vending machines on public property. The ordinance, which would only apply to vending machines that are not being maintained or utilized, was unanimously approved. It would allow for the removal of those boxes and potential fines for the owners.
“You’ll see this throughout Hernando County and it becomes frustrating because it’s in our right of ways. You’ll just see these newspaper stands that are sometimes just laying on the ground, they’re not even upright anymore, they’re empty or they’ve got garbage in them,” Commissioner John Allocco said. “You name an intersection in Hernando County, you’re going to find them and there’s been nothing in them, and they’re in the right of way, they’re not being maintained and in the past, we weren’t able to clean them up.
“Somebody leaves a sofa in the right of way, it’s getting removed. I think the First Amendment was used as the reason why we couldn’t do this, but that’s clearly not a First Amendment issue.”
