City to review waste buy-back options
– The Atascadero City Council will be reviewing the city’s waste buy-back options at its next meeting on Aug. 11.
The City of Atascadero has an agreement with Atascadero Waste Alternatives for exclusive curbside collection of trash, recyclables, and green waste for customers within city limits. The company has provided solid waste collection to the city since 1998. The agreement between and the city was renegotiated last year and is in effect through the end of 2020.
During contract negotiations with the city last year, the company agreed to continue operating the existing San Luis Avenue Buy-Back Center at no additional fee until Jan. 1, 2016. The company further agreed to work in good faith with the city and San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority to develop a service and funding plan for continued operation of the buy-back center, or the transfer of that requirement for a buy-back center to one or more of the local supermarkets or others in accordance with state regulations.
The contract also stated that the center could remain open after Jan. 1, 2016 under one of several conditions as proposed by the company. These conditions include: an increase in commercial rates not to exceed 6.8-percent; or a monthly increase in residential rates in year two and then again in year three, not to exceed 40 cents per month in each year which would be in addition to possible CPI increases; a cost sharing agreement with local supermarkets to offset the company’s operational costs of the center; or a combination of the above.
The contract requires that the company’s proposals be brought back to the council for approval by Aug. 15. In the absence of implementation of one or a combination of the options proposed by the company, they would have no obligation to continue operating the center beyond Dec. 31, 2015.
The council will be reviewing staff recommendations during their Aug. 11 meeting, which include rejecting the Atascadero Waste Alternatives proposals to increase commercial and residential waste collection service rates to keep the San Luis Avenue Buy Back Center operational; and in accordance with the agreement, to allow Atascadero Waste Alternatives to close the center after December 31, 2015 if they so choose. City staff is proactively working with the local grocery stores in order to establish one or more alternate buy-back locations within Atascadero, in the event the center closes.
While the center offers a valuable service to the community, there are concerns that the rate-payer subsidy that the company is asking for is too high for the service provided, especially in light of the center’s current operational revenues and costs. The city will be reviewing the proposed rates for customers under each of the proposals and the effects those proposals have on customers.
If the city rejects the proposals and the company chooses to close the center, local customers wishing to redeem their bottles and cans may have to go elsewhere for a period of up to six months, until another certified recycling center is established. During this time, recycling efforts by Atascadero residents can be made at Trader Joe’s for cans and bottles or at alternate buy-back locations in Paso Robles.
