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Greenfield approves 10‑year Tri Cities franchise, approves average 13% rate increase
Summary
After negotiating with the incumbent hauler, City Council approved in substantial form a 10‑year franchise agreement with Tri Cities Disposal and Recycling and adopted FY25–26 garbage rates that staff said average a roughly 13% base‑rate increase.
Greenfield City Council on June 24 approved a 10‑year franchise agreement in substantial form with Tri Cities Disposal and Recycling and adopted new FY25–26 garbage collection rates that staff said average about a 13% increase to base residential and commercial rates.
Elia (Eli) Zavala of the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, which negotiates and administers franchise agreements for South County cities, summarized the procurement process. The city earlier sought competitive proposals; initial RFP responses were 33%–55% higher than current rates, so the cities asked the Authority to negotiate with the incumbent, Tri Cities. Zavala said the negotiated proposal retains many existing services while updating contract language for state regulatory changes (including SB 1383 organics recycling requirements).
Tom Perola, general manager for Tri Cities, told the council the company’s portion of the increase totals about 9%, with additional pass‑throughs of about 1.8% from the solid‑waste authority and a franchise‑fee adjustment of roughly 2%, producing a stated average base increase of about 13%. The proposed agreement preserves curbside mixed‑recycling service without additional charge, bulky‑item pickup (modified from 10 times/year to five pickups per year), curbside battery collection and street‑sweeping services.
Zavala and Tri Cities staff explained drivers’ labor‑market pressures, equipment replacement driven by emissions rules, lower commodity values for recyclables, CPI adjustments, and higher insurance costs as drivers of higher rates. Staff noted a clerical correction will be made to ensure bulky‑item pickup remains a free service in the final agreement.
Councilmember commentary acknowledged the increase but contrasted the approved 13% as preferable to the substantially higher RFP bids. The council approved the agreement in substantial form and adopted the FY25–26 rates by unanimous voice vote. The resolution in the packet identified the contract term as July 2025 through June 30, 2035, with two optional five‑year extensions.
The council’s action authorized the city manager to execute the agreement in substantially final form and approved the proposed rate schedule effective for the coming fiscal year.
