Loma Linda City Council approves modest refuse rate increases effective July 1, 2025

Loma Linda City Council unanimously approved a resolution on refuse collection and disposal rates on a roll-call vote, setting the new maximum rates to take effect July 1, 2025.

Jeff Peterson, the city's associate engineer, told the council during a public hearing that inflation and costs tied to recycling and composting programs were driving the proposed adjustments. "Our residential rate is gonna go up, 3.35% or about a dollar. For the businesses, it's going up 3.9%, which is all less than the 4%," Peterson said, and explained that recent changes to the composting program have added processing and repurchase costs the city must cover.

The clerk read the motion to approve Council Bill R-2025-06, described as "a resolution of the city council of the City of Loma Linda, California, establishing maximum refuse collection and disposal rates effective 07/01/2025 and repealing Resolution Number 3229." The council voted in favor: Spencer Wong (agree), Popescu (yes), Rigsby (yes), Mayor Pro Tem Daly (aye) and Mayor Duper (yes). The clerk recorded that the motion carried unanimously.

Council members and staff framed the fee change as a fee-for-service matter, not typically funded from the general fund, and noted that annual notices ("218 notices") can be costly; Peterson said avoiding yearly notices saves the city roughly $5,000 to $6,000. He also described prior rate adjustments and the city's decision to phase in multi-year increases the previous year.

After the vote on the refuse rates, the council approved the consent calendar and the housing authority consent items by voice/roll-call vote and then adjourned. No members of the public spoke during the hearing.

The resolution takes effect July 1, 2025, and repeals Resolution 3229; the council gave direction to staff during a prior closed session on labor negotiations, which was announced at the start of the meeting.