Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public urges council to recheck solid-waste rate study, warns of large rate hikes
Summary
A public commenter told the Dunsmuir City Council the city's solid-waste rate study overstates contractor costs and profit, urging the city to seek CalRecycle help and regional procurement to avoid sharp rate increases tied to SB 1383 implementation.
During the public-comment period at the Sept. 5 Dunsmuir City Council meeting, a resident who had submitted a July 16 analysis urged the council to revisit the solid-waste rate study before adopting higher rates. The speaker said the study shows contractor costs of $256,000 for 2023 and listed profit of $75,000, which the commenter described as an excessive margin.
"Profit is listed as $75,000. This represents a profit margin of more than 29%," the commenter said, adding that the industry standard in California runs near 10 percent. The speaker also argued the study allocates purchases of new trucks and additional labor 100 percent to Dunsmuir ratepayers and said the town's volume and pickup schedule do not justify the projected costs.
The commenter recommended the city seek technical assistance from CalRecycle — the state agency overseeing implementation of SB 1383 — and consider regional contracting or a multi-jurisdictional authority to lower per-household costs. Council members responded that they intend to meet with experienced local advisors and that the recently adopted rates represent maximums the city can impose, not compulsory immediate increases.
