• Franchise Subcommittee Meeting Jan 2016

What could be more worth your time than a Franchise Subcommittee Meeting?

Well, considering that at the other end of the process looms between a $2 and $4 per month fee for each address in Wildomar, I'd think this should rank right up there with when Measure Z's $28 per year was being floated out there.

I've heard that some people don't actually read the words in the Wildomar Rap blog, and they base their knowledge on the pretty pictures I post. Well DON'T DO THAT HERE.

First, you need to know that there is actually very little genuine control when it comes to cities having local control. I'd say that most things in a city are dictated to them from either the state or the county. Our city has very little room, or money, to set our own agenda.

With that established, laws have been passed which dictate how trash is collected, and what's to be done with it afterward.

Most of us have three trash bins, and most of us do our best to separate out recyclables, green waste and general waste.

What's looming on the horizon is an organic waste recycling program.

A look at CR&R's super snazzy new anaerobic digester complex for organic recycling.

Organic waste is your old green waste, plus food waste, dog poop and even non hazardous wood waste. (I'm guessing if it's an old piece of lumber filled with nails, that would be considered hazardous).

The mandate is for the city to adopt a plan so as to be in compliance with AB1826.

This is only being implemented for businesses at first, but CR&R is wanting to get the residential side in there now too.

Even at the meeting, if you were sitting more than 10 feet away from this graphic, you couldn't read it.

This is with the scenario of the rates increasing by 50¢ per month per year. They had another one based on 75¢ per month.

Several scenarios were discussed by Alex Braicovich of CR&R, that seemed like coercion to me.

If the city jumps into their deal today, the cost is only going to start off at $1.98 per home, with an annual 1% increase which will average out to about $2.07 per month over ten years.

However, if we wait a year to join the scheme, the rate will go up by at least 50¢ to 75¢ per month, per year.

If you can see the line that reads Cost/Home/Month if we do the deal now, it's $2.07.
In the following bullet points, each line represents a single year difference in starting the program.

•  2016, rate $1.98; ten year average with increases $2.07
•  2017, rate $2.50; ten year average with increases $2.60; 26% higher
•  2018, rate $3.00; ten year average with increases $3.11; 50% higher
•  2019, rate $3.50; ten year average with increases $3.61; 74% higher
•  2020, rate $4.00; ten year average with increases $4.10; 98% higher

Though cities are mandated to have a program in place for businesses that produce 8 cubic yards of organic waste on a weekly basis in 2016, by 2020 a similar organic waste diversion program will need to be citywide.

Council Member Ben Benoit is trying to point out figures on the graphic to fellow Council Member Marsha Swanson

When it was time for public comments, I had a couple of them ready, but demurred. I'll make more of a list for when this comes before the full council.

Here's what I have so far on my list.

• Why *must* the rates go up if we choose to wait a year?
• Based on what?
• Why such steep raises every 12 months?

I liked several points Council Member Marsha Swanson made.

• I'm still totally concerned with residential rates going up now. Already Wildomar residents are paying $76.56 each quarter and Lake Elsinore is paying $72. Waste Management is $75.41. 

• I feel we need to give both companies their ten year notice and have one trash hauler in our city.

• Being a business woman, it still makes me feel like we are paying for your capital improvements. That's the feeling that hits me and that's the hard thing to ask these people (residents of Wildomar).

City Manager Gary Norquist then asked Braicovich the following question.

Looking at the chart, on the far right hand column at the very bottom, it says 98%. So if [Wildomar] joins in 2020, over that next five year period, [we'll] be paying 98% more than if [we] would have joined it in 2016?

"Correct," replied Braicovich.

At one point Braicovich said, "I hear your concern about one side of [of the city] being different than the other. Just want to throw it out there. We're more than happy to sit down with your staff and with Waste [Management] and knock something out that would be the same [price wise] for the entire city."

When I heard that, and though I'm willing to hear that as a "good intentions" kind of thing, it sure seemed a bit too close to price fixing/collusion to me. I don't want the two companies working together to come up with a similar price. I want them looking to work against each other in what is commonly called healthy competition.

I completely agree with the idea of having just ONE trash hauler in the city, and even if the countdown is ten long years, please city council, start that ball rolling now so that those that are in your chairs in ten years will have a tool that you handed them.

•        •        •

We keep going for them. We can't turn back because we're afraid. 

— Rick Grimes (Walking Dead)

Wildomar Rap reminds you: It's better to have two hammers and not need to use them than to need a hammer and not have one in your tool box.