Service fee increase sparks upset at Lindsay City Council meeting
Tuesday night’s Lindsay City Council meeting was full of discussion, and one of the lengthier discussions revolved around a proposed increase to refuse service fees for Lindsay residents.
Lindsay’s finance director and city clerk, Bret Harmon, presented the initial facts as to why the city is asking the Council to discuss an increase to waste disposal fees.
“There are a couple things going on with solid waste refuse,”said Harmon. “The state now is mandating organic recycling. On January 1, all businesses that generate 4 cubic yards or more of commercial solid waste per week must now recycle their organic waste. That is going to be your schools and restaurant that are going to have to do this.”
Harmon explained that currently there is no fee related to organic recycling on the city’s fee schedule. He continued to state that the city must go through a Prop 218 process to implement the fees into the schedule.
A Prop 218 process includes mailing out a letter explaining the fee increases to each resident and allowing time for residents to protest or accept the increase via voting. The prop does not go on a ballot, but instead votes are mailed in or verbally spoken.
“Mid Valley Disposal does a great job providing services to the city,” said Harmon about the city’s current waste management provider. “They provide trash hauling, recycling, and green waste, and now the organics collection.”
Mid Valley Disposal has held a contract with the City of Lindsay since 2014. Harmon explained that the rates must go up to cover cost recovery to Mid Valley Disposal but cannot be increased without the Prop 218 process. Harmon requested that the Council set
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a public hearing regarding the Prop 218 process, which requires a 45 day notice, including a mailed notice to each resident who holds an account with Mid Valley Disposal.
“The Council authorizes to do the 218,” said Harmon. “Then the community votes on the 218, and it is that approval that allows it to happen.”
If the adoption of the increased fees is not approved, the city’s General Fund covers any additional costs that have accumulated.
Once Harmon wrapped his presentation up, Mid Valley Disposal’s owner, Joseph Kalpakoff, was given the opportunity to address the Council about the proposed fee changes.
“I want to start off by thanking staff for their report this evening,” said Kalpakoff. “It was very detailed and thorough.”
Kalpakoff explained that since working with
the city in 2014, the company has not adjusted any of their rates for the city despite inflation in their production costs. He stated that he has been pushing the city to increase their rates since 2016, yet has seen no work towards making those adjustments.
“For the record, there are costs we have incurred over the last three years,” said Kalpakoff. “Just so you guys have an idea of the numbers we’re talking in our service agreement, we waved $137,000 for the years 2015 and 2016. The years we did not wave is $252,000. That is from 2017 and 2018, up until July 1, 2019.”
This means that the city owes Mid Valley Disposal roughly a quarter of a million dollars.
“We did submit a rate structure which included the $252,000 over an increase over time so we can recur that back,” said Kalpakoff. “I wanted to let you guys know that we did provide that information and what that cost was going to be.”
Kalpakoff thanked the Council for their time, and ensured them that he values the partnership he has with the city.
“Thank you for the full disclosure,” said Council member Yolanda Flores.
As the discussion wrapped up, the Council ultimately decided to continue the discussion
at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
The next Lindsay City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, beginning at 6 p.m. inside the Council Chambers at City Hall located at 251 E. Honolulu Street.