Huntington Beach trash collection rates could increase

Trash collection rates could steadily rise over the next three years for Huntington Beach residents after the City Council considers a plan Monday to help balance the city’s refuse fund.

The council will discuss whether to approve a series of rate hikes to start July 1 and end two years later in order to coincide with Republic Services’ — formerly Rainbow Environmental Services — collection increases and to help balance the city’s refuse fund, according to a report submitted by City Manager Fred Wilson.

The city’s refuse fund has not kept pace with expenses and has amassed a deficit of $565,000 since an increase to the rate wasn’t approved in 2011, the report says.

Under the program, the rates would increase from $19.61 to $19.81 per household a month on July 1, with another hike of 76 cents on Nov. 1.

Increases of 20 cents would then be implemented separately in July 2018 and 2019.

Staff is recommending the phased rate hikes to help balance the fund while mitigating the impact to the ratepayers.

If the plan is approved, it will provide about $350,000 in annual revenue to the refuse fund, the report says.

The city can’t increase the rate if just over half of ratepayers dissent. According to the city manager’s report, there are 47,597 homes receiving trash services, so 23,799 protests would be needed to prevent the rate hike.

Several people sent letters to the city protesting the rate adjustments.

The city’s current contract with Republic has been a topic of contention.

The council voted unanimously on May 15 to form a committee to review the city’s waste management agreement in hopes of amending an “undesirable” contract that has automatic renewals instead of a bidding process.

Councilman Erik Peterson and Councilwoman Lyn Semeta, who proposed the item, said in a statement that Huntington Beach residents generally pay a higher rate than other Republic customers countywide and that they hope to rectify that with better terms and pricing.

However, according to a chart released by the city, if the rate hikes are approved, Huntington Beach’s $20.57 charge would rank 26th highest of Orange County cities and 7th out of the 11 cities that use Republic.

Naming of Central Park bandstand

The council will also consider naming the Central Park bandstand after Thomas Ridley, music director of the Huntington Beach Concert Band.

Ridley is largely credited with saving the local concert band when it hit hard times.

The Community Services Commission is recommending the approval of the bandstand naming.

The commission was tasked with reviewing the specifics of the naming after a council vote in March. The commission’s approval is required before naming park features.

Councilman Patrick Brenden originally proposed the naming, stating at a prior meeting that Ridley has been working as a director for the concert band since 1977 and is deserving of the honor.

When the recession hit in the late 2000s, the Huntington Beach Concert Band lost its funding, but Ridley stepped in and worked with the musicians to save the group and grow the Huntington Beach Concert Band Summer Series, a program of musical performances held in Central Park.

“For 40 years he has worked to develop a band for Huntington Beach which rivals any community band in the country,” said Linda D. Couey, the general manager of the concert band. “His giving of his time and talent for the [band] and for the whole community cannot be overestimated.”

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