Stanislaus County expects to see garbage fee proposals from cities

Stanislaus County officials are awaiting proposals from cities for new agreements on garbage disposal fees.

The county has offered to make its fee structure more attractive to cities such as Turlock, which is sending garbage to a lower-cost landfill in Merced. If other cities were to send most of their rubbish to out-of-county facilities, it could cause a countywide solid waste partnership to unravel.

Cities joined the partnership years ago because they were not going to meet state requirements for diverting waste from landfills without the county’s help. After talking with the state, some cities are starting to think they can meet those requirements on their own.

Turlock City Manager Roy Wasden said the city has tracked how much it diverts with its three-cart residential garbage system, which includes a blue cart for recyclables, green for yard waste and black for other household rubbish. “Any city can look to see what their diversion numbers are with the state,” he said.

The city represents 15 percent of the county population but generates 9 percent of the solid waste tonnage thanks to its three-can service, Wasden said.

Turlock still is working on proposals for a new garbage pact with the county. Last year, the city verbally agreed to resume sending its rubbish to the Fink Road Landfill and waste-energy plant near Crows Landing, contingent on the county negotiating new agreements with the cities.

“We all believe we are better off working together than separately,” Wasden said. The city only agreed to talk after the county served notice a year ago it would terminate a contract for state-required waste reduction and recycling services.

The county offered to lower tipping fees based on the volume of waste delivered to the Fink landfill and waste burner. Cities receive a 10 percent diversion credit by sending garbage to the burner, which would be lost if they leave the partnership, said Jami Aggers, county environmental services director.

The county also provides them with help running recycling and other waste-reduction programs.

Wasden said one issue for Turlock is the different charges on waste deliveries to Fink landfill and the incinerator. The landfill fee is $33 per ton, compared with the burner’s $39.78 per ton.

Oakdale City Manager Bryan Whitemyer said the city wants to be a team player but has to consider the garbage service costs for residents and business owners.

“We will comply with all of the regulatory requirements including the diversion rates,” Whitemyer said. “Right now, we are able to do that working with the county. If we were to take our garbage anywhere else, we would make sure to comply with the requirements.”

Keith Boggs, county assistant executive officer, said multiple meetings were held with city representatives over the past several months. The cities include Ceres, Hughson, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Turlock and Waterford.

The county and Modesto are longtime partners under their own agreement and have a harder time meeting the minimum deliveries to the burner if cities send their refuse across county lines.

While cities have been required to divert half their solid waste from landfills, a newer state goal is 75 percent diversion by 2020. In addition, recent state bills established mandatory recycling for commercial businesses and will require restaurants and others to separate food scraps.

Aggers said her department will evaluate the city proposals after they are submitted and develop a recommendation for the Board of Supervisors.

This story was originally published January 25, 2015 at 5:47 PM with the headline "Stanislaus County expects to see garbage fee proposals from cities."