The company's the same. But not the rates. As residents in the city of Los Altos begin noticing a 13.13 percent rate increase in their March bill from the Los Altos Garbage Company, residents in the unincorporated areas of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills will spot a "modest rate reduction" in their March bill.
"The new contracts will save people (in Los Altos Hills and unincorporated Los Altos) a few dollars while providing the same level of service," said Joe Simitian, Santa Clara County Supervisor for the Los Altos and Palo Alto area.
The county supervisors set the garbage rates for residents of Los Altos Hills and the unincorporated areas of Los Altos.
Changes became effective March 1.
The Los Altos City Council sets the garbage rates for folks in the city.Changes became effective Feb. 1.
The one-can customers in the city of Los Altos will see their rates go from $17.63 per month to $19.94 per month, said Bruce Bane, public works director for Los Altos, in a staff report.
The Los Altos City Council approved the rate increase, effective Feb. 1, during a five-hour Jan. 21 council study session regarding garbage rate adjustments.
Historically, the council has not taken action at study sessions. But since the first of the year, several study sessions have involved notification to residents so that formal action can be taken at the meeting and items don't have to be brought back to the council.
The last garbage rate increase for the city was in June 1996, when rates went up 5.7 percent for residential customers, to accommodate the addition of mixed-paper recycling, Bane said.
When the garbage company came to the city last June for a 32 percent increase in debris-box rates, the council asked for an audit of the garbage company and how they set their rates.
The city hired Hilton Farnkopf and Hobson, a company that specializes in working for municipal agencies, which reviewed the garbage company's rate application process.
The garbage company had originally come to the city with a rate increase request last June. While the audit was in process, rate changes were on hold.
An audit "is a learning experience, a chance to improve the company," said Bill Jones, general manager of the garbage company, at the June council meeting.
The audit addressed issues that included determining a reasonable profit margin as well as "can-attrition," when customers use fewer cans because of more recycling.
"This has had a significant negative effect on LAGCo revenues in past years," Bane said, as more people recycle more stuff.
Commercial rates also rose by 13.13 percent.
The new rates will provide the city of Los Altos an additional $46,000 in franchise fee revenues, Bane said.