ST. JOHN | Residents have dodged a $15 monthly garbage pickup fee for now.

The Town Council on Thursday unanimously denied an ordinance that would have imposed the fee. Instead, the town will continue to pay for residential garbage collection out of the general fund.

That amount is expected to reach $771,000 this year.

Through departmental budget cuts and deferrals, the town freed up the money needed to pay for pickup without imposing a fee on residents, Councilman Mark Barenie said.

Barenie, a certified public accountant, reviewed the operating budget, the scheduled capital projects and he suggested long-term financial forecasting. Based on his findings, he recommended the town put the garbage fees on a back burner.

Staff determined the town can balance its budget without imposing the fee, Barenie said.

Neighboring Schererville recently adopted new fees for garbage pickup, which costs residents $15.09 a month. Merrillville residents will begin paying $46.50 quarterly for garbage pickup.

St. John's garbage fee deferral means that an indoor gun range the town wanted to construct this year for police officers will have to wait.

The $200,000 encumbered for the project instead will go toward paying for residential garbage collection, said Town Council President Michael Fryzel.

He said the town likely will revisit imposing a fee in the future.

At some point, it might be inevitable, Barenie said.

Barenie pointed to a recent report produced by the Indiana Associations of Cities and Towns. The report mentions how municipalities continue to search for new revenue sources, he said.

To save money, the town has cut overtime and deferred capital projects when possible, Fryzel said.

In related business, the council on Thursday unanimously rejected all bids for a new street sweeper/vacuum. Now is not a good time to buy a street sweeper, given the tight financial situation, Fryzel said.

Sweepers cost about $169,000, and although the money would come out of the sewer fund instead of the general fund, the town needs to hold back on some purchases, Fryzel said.