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Soledad council approves modest CPI-based increase to garbage rates
Summary
The Soledad City Council voted to adopt Resolution 6368, approving a contract-allowed consumer-price-index adjustment to Tri Cities Disposal’s service rates for fiscal 2026–27. Staff and the Selenus Valley Solid Waste Authority presented a roughly 3.4% increase and answered council questions about CPI mechanics and customer impact.
The Soledad City Council voted to approve Resolution 6368 on June 10, authorizing annual, contract-allowed rate adjustments for garbage collection under the city’s franchise with Tri Cities Disposal and pass-through fees from the Selenus Valley Solid Waste Authority.
City Manager Megan said the franchise agreement permits an annual Consumer Price Index adjustment. Aaliyah Zavala, presenting the proposed schedule, told the council the adjustment for the coming fiscal year results in an overall 3.4% increase (staff also cited a 3.73% CPI component for one service element) and presented sample impacts for common residential and commercial accounts. Cesar Suniga, introduced as the new general manager of the Selenus Valley Solid Waste Authority, addressed the council before the presentation and described the agency’s role in landfill, diversion and organics-processing fees.
The increase reflects a combination of Tri Cities’ service-fee CPI adjustment and pass-through fee updates from the regional solid-waste authority. Council members asked staff to explain CPI in plain language; Zavala and Suniga said the adjustment covers labor, fuel and other operating costs captured in the index the city and contractor use.
The staff presentation included a line saying the change would be “approximately $143 per month for the average residential customer.” That figure appears inconsistent with a 3.4% rate change and may reflect a transcription or typographical error in the meeting record; council discussion and the staff report did not provide a different residential-dollar figure for final comparison. The council directed staff to make explanatory materials available to help residents interpret the CPI mechanism and the line-item impact on a utility bill.
The council’s motion to approve Resolution 6368 passed with no objections recorded during the voice vote. The rate change takes effect July 1, 2026, under terms of the franchise agreement.
What’s next: Staff will post the new rate schedule (Exhibit A to the resolution) and outreach materials explaining CPI adjustments and example monthly impacts for typical service levels.
