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Published on 05/27/1996 All articles from this issue

No basic change in LAH garbage until next rate review

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By Clyde Noel / Town Crier Staff Writer

Los Altos Hills residents spoke outagainst mandatory garbage service at last week's city councilmeeting, saying they shouldn't have to pay for services they don'tuse.

Some residents told council members May 22 they take solid wasteto work, while others claim they don't use the garbage pick upservice and seldom go to the yard waste recycle center - thereforethey shouldn't have to pay garbage fees.

The council voted to continue present baseline program for allgarbage services on a 3-2 vote, with council members Bob Johnsonand Toni Casey dissenting.

Resident James Valenti, who owes $1,487.29 to the Los Altos GarbageCompany (LAGCo), said hazardous waste is a problem. "I don'tdump sofas and couches at the yard waste center and I don't useother programs," he said. "To add everything up intoone bill is ridiculous. I don't use all those services. I onlybelieve in waste disposal."

The baseline service fee of $15.95 per month is a mandatory fee,paid by all developed properties and covers the cost of the householdrecycling, yard waste, a household hazardous waste drop-off programand the town's quarterly cleanup days.

Those services must continue for the town to meet AB939 requirements,which sets the goals for the solid waste diversion from landfills.The program demonstrated how cities must achieve the diversiongoals of 25 percent by 1995 and 50 percent by the year 2000.

A town staff report says Los Altos Hills must reduce or divertan additional 1,208 tons of solid waste per year to meet the requirement.

"From a practical standpoint it becomes difficult to nothave mandatory service," said John Angin, manager of LAGCo."Baseline is a different matter. You are looking at a movingtarget here and you can set the rates accordingly. I find thathousehold services are somewhat constant."

The regular residential garbage rate is suspect, several residentssaid. Howard Martin, a resident of Dawson Drive, said, "Ifeel that we have been very well taken care of by the garbagepeople and I think they should be complimented. But, the rateis way above any other city in the county. Los Altos pays $16.68for one can and we are 65 percent higher. Cupertino pays $13.94for one can and we are 197 percent higher."

The Los Altos Hills rate is $27.48 for one can collected lessthan 100 feet from curbside. Customers are billed four times ayear with two months payment in advance.

Mayor Bill Siegel said the town's rates are the highest on thepeninsula because the homes are spread out with long driveways.

Resident Scott Overstreet remarked, "This is not a cheapservice. What makes it difficult is they don't take anything anymore."

Angin agreed LAGCo is more strict now. "People would comedown three-to-four times a day bringing demolition items fromtheir home. We had to go from 20-to-40 people a day to handlecleanup in Los Altos Hills. We even had a driver come to the wasteyard in a flat bed truck loaded with electric water heaters."

City Manager Jeff Peterson reminded the council that the townhas more than three years to set the 50 percent diversion fromlandfills.

"We have to come up with additional programs so we can getadditional diversion," he said. "Any cutback now ofthe baseline will cut back the state programs more and we aren'tin a position to pay a $1,000 a day penalty."

"I suggest leaving the baseline where it is and find outthe components that will make up the baseline," Angin said."We are following the letter of the contract and we can reviewthis as part of the rate review in July."

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