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Published on 07/20/1998 All articles from this issue

Los Altos moves ahead with garbage-rate audit

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

In response to a rate-increase application from the garbage company, the Los Altos City Council voted to audit the request.

At its July 14 meeting, the council chose the Fremont-based firm of Hilton Farnkopf & Hobson, specialists in reviewing public sector recycling services, to review the Los Altos Garbage Company's application for an increase in its collection rates.

"A review like this should be done every seven to 10 years or so," said Los Altos Mayor Kris Casto. Here, "probably, we've never done one of these."

The council is not unhappy with the garbage company. In fact, at the July 14 meeting, "The council threw bouquets to the garbage company," said Bruce Bane, Los Altos director of public works. "This is not an adversarial thing," he said.

The audit will include a study of the "cost of service by rate category and service level," said L. Scott Hobson, senior vice president of the audit company, in his proposal to the city.

The audit will also include a time and motion study.

Cost of the audit will be from $40,000 to $60,000, Casto said.

Funds will come from the city's solid waste enterprise fund and will not affect the general fund, Bane said.

This "in-depth" approach will take four to five months to complete, Bane said. "This will set a base for future reviews."

The garbage company's proposed average 32 percent increase for its debris box service prompted city officials to seek an audit, even though the city would have profited from the increase.