Board Sets Hearing on Proposed Hikes to Rubbish Collection Rates

The Board of Supervisors today set a public hearing for May on a series of proposed hikes to trash collection fees throughout Riverside County's unincorporated communities, where collection costs may rise about 3% per customer under the haulers' new rate plans. The Department of Environmental Health is seeking across-the-board adjustments that all of the county's trash collectors -- Burrtec Waste, CR&R Inc., Desert Valley Disposal and Waste Management Inc. want to incorporate into their current contracts with the county. Environmental Health Director Jeff Johnson was granted a public hearing on May 20 to formally submit the rate hikes for approval. The waste haulers are permitted to seek rate adjustments every year based on rising landfill, transportation and other costs. The board rarely denies adjustment requests. The Burrtec hike would boost customers' monthly rates from an average $30.12 to $31.09. Residents serviced by CR&R would see their bills go from between $35.49 and $37.13, to between $36.53 and $38.22. Desert Valley Disposal customers would go from paying an average $36.72 to $37.78, and Waste Management's new fee structure would increase from between $34.71 and $36.80, to between $35.73 and $37.88 per month for residential collections. In some cases, fees would increase beyond the averages under socalled ``hard-to-reach'' service plans, which apply when properties are especially remote. Waste collection for the county occurs in defined ``franchise areas,'' which currently number 11 and encompass communities such as Bermuda Dunes, Cabazon, Desert Center, East Hemet, French Valley, Lakeland Village, Nuevo, Thermal, Thousand Palms and Winchester. Most of the existing franchise agreements have been in place since the 1990s. If approved at the May 20 public hearing -- when anyone can speak on the proposed increases -- the new fees would take effect July 1.