Tipping fees at Walker Mountain Landfill could increase by about 2.5 percent if a recommendation by the Rome-Floyd County Solid Waste Commission is adopted by the city and county.

The commission made the recommendation to raise fees Tuesday, though if approved by the Rome and Floyd County commissions, it won’t become effective until Feb. 1.

“Individuals won’t pay anything,” Rome Public Works director Kirk Milam said of household trash tossed into the landfill. “They can take it to a county remote site and there’s no fee. It’s the same at the landfill.”

Tossing a water heater or a couch, though, is a different issue. Garbage and industrial trash is recommended to climb to $33.85 per ton from $33 a ton. Trash that’s less than 100 pounds will climb to $4.60 from $4.45.

Commercial haulers will see the same increase with fees recommended at $18.70 a ton from $18.20 a ton for items such as cement and concrete. Commercial tires will rise to

$109.10 a ton from $106.45 a ton.

Credit account customers will receive mail notices of the increases. Visitors to the landfill will get notices as well. “That’s the best way we have to reach our customers,” Milam said.

In other matters, the Solid Waste Commission recommended adopting its fiscal year 2006 budget.

The budget plans for revenues of $3.8 million opposed to expenses of $6.7 million. One big change from last year’s budget is a $3.8 million increase on last year’s funds slated for development costs.

The reason, Milam said, is because of the next phase of expansion for the Walker Mountain Landfill.

“That’ll be something we accomplish in calendar ’06,” Milam said.

Even though the budget falls $2.89 million short of being balanced, Milam said, a surplus will cover the deficit.