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Ripon garbage bills may go up to $42.50
Ripon will look to continue its two-container trash pickup system.
As such, it means Ripon households may see garbage bills increase to $42.50 a month, up from the current $37.50.
The Ripon City Council recently went ahead with the staff recommendation to begin the process of drafting agreements with the City of Ripon and certain waste processing facilities in order to comply with Senate Bill 1383.
The state-mandated SB 1383 requires that jurisdictions to conduct education and outreach on organic recycling to all residents and businesses – included are those generating edible food that be donated – haulers, solid waste facilities, and local food banks as well as other food recovery organizations.
Public Works Director James Pease said at the June 13 meeting that the two-can collection service provides the most cost-effective path to complying with SB 1383 with a 12 percent increase to residents and local businesses.
“The one-can service would have no impact to our current operation but would include an increase of about 21 percent in operating expenses,” he noted.
The third option was the three-container system, which would call for a 37 percent increase over that of the current rate.
Pease pointed out that the two-can system has an optional green can that “would allow our organic waste to be hauled to our current facility with a more reasonable tipping fee.”
The down side of using this system, he added, is that black can waste has to be processed through a high diversion organic processing facility.
“The tipping fee would increase although no less that the one-can system,” said Pease.
For Ripon, the annual increase under the two-can collection service would be about $250,000 added to the current operation consisting of Gilton Solid Waste Management.
“The city is fortunate that Gilton is in close proximity to us. They have the capacity and are will to work with us in order to help meet the requirements of SB 1383,” Pease said.
He broke down the 12 percent increase to added $4.50 to the current $37.50 per month for the single black-can service, bringing the tally to $42.50 per month.
Staff received the green light from elected leaders to move forward by drafting agreements between Gilton and the City to handle the processing of Ripon’s solid waste at the transfer station in Modesto as well as for Waste Management to continue processing the local green waste at the compost facility in Lathrop.
Pease said that staff will bring back the details on the latest move and the impact on the Garbage Enterprise Funds along with providing an update on the recycling center activities and possible changes at a later meeting.
