After going back and forth for close to a year, the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority's budget for 2017 has been set.
On Tuesday, the authority's board voted in favour of not giving an increase last year, but approved a 2% increase for 2018.
The compromise came after a number of meetings between city and county officials.
Essex County Warden Tom Bain believes the authority will be looking at more increases in the coming years, saying they "can't continue to tap our reserves."
The authority received additional revenue in 2017
"We've fortunately come up with a surplus for the year 2017 which helps," says Bain. "We're going to be able to hold the line at zero for 2017 and then the request is to look at a 2% increase for 2018."
He says it was an interesting budget process.
"I'm pleased that the mayor and myself and both of our CAO's have been able to sit down at the table and thrash this out," says Bain. "It may have taken a meeting or two more then what we originally hoped but the main point is we've done it."
The authority's administration had recommended a 4.11% increase during 2017 budget deliberations but all city representatives voted in favour of a zero while all county reps voted against it.
City reps called for a zero percent increase for both 2017 and 2018 but the draft budget was ultimately rejected by county council. If the city and county did not reach an agreement, the matter could have went to arbitration.
The budget for 2017 as well as 2018 will now head to city and county councils for final approval.