Sec. 8. (a) The board may establish fees for waste collection and disposal. The board shall establish fees for waste disposal when necessary to pay principal or interest on any bonds issued under section 10 of this chapter. Fees established under this subsection shall apply to all persons owning real property benefited by waste collection, a facility for waste disposal, or both. The board may change and readjust fees from time to time.

(b) The board may fix the fees for waste collection on the basis of a schedule of charges for each classification of residence or building in use in the solid waste collection service district, and may fix the fees for waste disposal on the basis of a schedule of charges for each classification of residence or building in use in the waste disposal district. These classifications of residences and buildings shall be based on:

(1) weight or volume of the refuse received;

(2) the average number of containers or bags of refuse received;

(3) the relative difficulty associated with the disposal of the waste received; or

(4) any combination of these criteria or any other criteria the board determines to be logically related to the service.

(c) The collection of the fees authorized by this section may be effectuated through a periodic billing system or through a charge appearing on the semiannual property tax statement of the affected property owner.

(d) If the fees are not paid when due (by the affected property owner), a lien is created upon the property benefited by the collection and disposal of waste. When the property is sold at a tax sale under the procedures provided by statute, the amount of the purchase price attributable to the waste charge lien reverts to the consolidated city.

(e) The board may exercise reasonable discretion in adopting differing schedules of fees, based upon variations in the cost of furnishing the services included within this chapter to various classes of owners of property, the distance of the property benefited from the facility, or any other variations the board determines to be logically related to the cost of the service.

(f) Fees shall be established only after a public hearing before the board at which all persons using facilities or owning property benefited by waste collection and disposal, and others interested, have had opportunity to be heard by the board concerning the proposed fees. After adoption of the resolution fixing fees and before the resolution takes effect, public notice of the hearing, setting forth the schedule of fees, shall be given. The hearing may be adjourned from time to time. After the hearing, the resolution establishing fees, either as originally passed or as amended, shall be passed and put into effect. A copy of the schedule of fees so established shall be kept on file in the office of the board and shall be kept open to inspection by all persons interested. The fees established shall be extended to cover any additional territory later served that falls within the same class, without the necessity of any hearing or notice. Any change or readjustment of fees may be made in the same manner as they were originally established.

(g) An action to contest the validity of the fees adopted or the procedure by which they were adopted must be brought within thirty (30) days following the adoption of the fees.

(h) Fees imposed under this chapter may be used, together with any other revenues, to pay the cost of facilities for waste disposal, waste collection, the operation and maintenance of facilities, cost incurred under put or pay contracts, charges that may be pledged to the payment of principal of and interest on waste disposal district or revenue bonds, or amounts required by put or pay contracts.

(i) Before any fee established by the board for waste collection or disposal may take effect, the city-county legislative body must by ordinance approve, reject, or modify the fee.

As added by Acts 1982, P.L.77, SEC.27. Amended by P.L.38-1984, SEC.7.