By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A majority of Del Rio City Council members approved an amendment to the city’s fee schedule, increasing rates for services in the city’s refuse/landfill fund.
The council took action on the consolidated fee schedule during its most recent regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22, following a public hearing when several citizens commented on the proposed new rates. (See separate story.)
Later in the meeting, the council considered an ordinance amending the city’s consolidated fee schedule by revising the schedule for solid waste rates.
After City Secretary Mari Acosta read the heading of the agenda item, Mayor Al Arreola asked if there was a motion. Councilman J.P. Sanchez made a motion to approve the ordinance as presented, and Mayor Pro-tem Randy Quinones gave the second.
Following the motion and second, Arreola recognized Interim Finance Director Roxy Soto, who said she wished to make a comment.
Soto told the council, “In the fee schedule, the 3 cubic yard dumpster rate is omitted from the adopted fee schedule, due to the scheduled discontinuation of the service because the landfill operator does require additional time to complete the container removal, so, because the final discontinuation date remains undetermined, the existing rate will remain in effect during the temporary extension.
“What that means is that we will continue to charge (for) the 3 cubic yard dumpster until it has been replaced by Platform, and the new dumpster has been put in its place, whether it be the 2 (cubic yard), the 4, the 6, whatever the customer decides,” Soto added.
Sanchez asked, “You didn’t have a fee for that (3 cubic yard dumpster included in the fee schedule). Are you going to generate a fee for that?”
Soto replied, “Correct. It’s not in the current fee schedule, but we will continue to charge it as it’s being phased out. Once it’s phased out, we will no longer charge the 3 cubic yard (dumpster).”
Sanchez said, “Yes, but what I’m saying is, all the other rates went up. Are you going to be raising that 3 cubic yard (rate)?”
“No, sir,” Soto replied.
“You’re going to keep it at the same (rate)?” Sanchez asked.
“Yes, sir,” Soto replied.
“Until we remove ’em,” Arreola said.
“Yes,” Soto said.
“Well, let me get a bunch of 3s at my place,” Sanchez joked.
He added, to Soto, “You see where I’m coming from? I kind of feel that you need to make an adjustment on that 3 cubic yard, accordingly, with the other (rates). You know what I’m saying? The others you’re charging so much per cubic yard, so then try to figure out where the 3 is.”
Soto said, “We’re hoping they’ll be able to get the containers within a couple of months, but we’re still waiting to hear back. They still need some final figures from us, and they’re still working on some final figures on those containers. They’re also waiting to hear back from the manufacturer to see what the lead time is on all containers. So we don’t have a timeline yet of when they will be installed.”
Councilwoman Elsa Reyes asked, “For clarification, because it was brought up in the ‘Citizen Comments.’ Can you again please tell the citizens the dollar amount for the solid waste fee, for residential, what it’s going up to, because they have stated they are not aware. I know it’s $4 and some change, but I would like it to come from you.”
Soto responded, “For inside the city limits, for residential trash, the cost is going from $20.54 to the proposed rate of $25.25, which is an increase of $4.71. For outside city limits, residential trash, the current rate is $24.65, and the proposed rate is $30.30, and that is an increase of $5.65. And again, these rates are monthly, once a month.
“For inside the city limits, the extra cart is $5.72. The proposed rate will be $7.05, which is an increase of $1.33. For outside city limits, the extra cart, the current rate is $6.87. The proposed rate is $8.45, which is an increase of $1.58. Those are the residential rates, and again, that’s just once a month,” Soto said.
Arreola asked if there were any other questions, and Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez said, “The recycle bins had no increase, is that correct?”
Soto replied, “The recycling, for the extra cart, the current rate is $2.50. The proposed rate will be $3.10, so that’s an increase of 60 cents per month.”
Councilman LeRoy Briones said he had no questions, but wished to comment.
Briones said, “Frequency (of trash pickups) stays the same, as we’re used to.”
Soto said, “The frequency, the standard is once a month. However, if you are a commercial customer, and you would like to request additional pickups, you can. You can request additional pickups. And that is the charge for every additional pickup.”
Briones said, “But the (trash pickups) for the residential consumer is once a week.”
“Yes. Once a week, yes,” Soto said.
Briones said, “So that doesn’t change.”
“Correct,” Soto said.
Arreola asked if there were any other questions or concerns, and hearing none, called for the vote.
The council voted 6-1 to approve Sanchez’s motion, with Gutierrez casting the only opposing vote.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
