Hollister
– Hollister residents could soon see an increase in their
garbage rates – although that might be followed by a decrease and
maybe a new garbage man.
Hollister – Hollister residents could soon see an increase in their garbage rates – although that might be followed by a decrease and maybe a new garbage man.
The City Council will hold a special meeting Monday night to discuss and analyze the city’s contract with Hollister Disposal, as well as the company’s request for a 7.08 percent garbage rate increase. At that same meeting, the council will also be talking about plans to go together with San Benito County and the city of San Juan Bautista to find one trash hauler to serve Hollister, San Juan Bautista and the county.
A decision on Hollister Disposal’s proposed 7.08 percent city garbage rate increase was postponed by the council at its March 5 meeting. Council members said they needed more information on the city’s contract with Hollister Disposal, which is owned by Texas-based Waste Management, before voting on the increase.
The proposed rate increase would cost city residents who use a 35-gallon trash can just over $1 a month. The increase would cover the rise in operating over the past two years, said Monica Devincenzi, municipal relations manager for Hollister Disposal.
Even if the rate increase is approved, Hollister residents could see the cost of garbage service go down in 2008 – as could residents of San Juan Bautista and unincorporated areas of the county where trash pickup is available.
Officials in Hollister, San Juan Bautista and San Benito County are seeking a deal with a single waste management company in order to reduce costs.
The waste management contracts of the two cities and the county have been aligned to expire simultaneously this summer. Hollister, San Juan Bautista and San Benito County are jointly putting out a request for proposals, seeking bids from potential solid waste franchisees.
“If you have one hauler then you’ll be able to get a better rate, because they’ll have better economies of scale,” said Jan McClintock, San Juan Bautista city manager.
Hollister City Manager Clint Quilter agreed that garbage rates should do down if one waste company serves both cities and the county.
“The proposals we get hopefully will be better than our current contract,” Quilter said. “We would all get better deals that way: Just like the reason you go to Costco instead of 7-Eleven to buy stuff.”
Because the two cities and the county are still in the beginning process of going to bid on a new contract, all three are expected to seek extensions through the summer of 2008 on current contracts.
A new garbage hauler could be chosen August and a contract could be completed by the end of the year, Quilter said. Waiting until next summer to make the actual change would give everyone time to work out any glitches with the new waste disposal company, he said.
Alice Joy covers education for the Free Lance. She can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 336 or [email protected].
