Healdsburg Trash Collection Rates Up 4%

Healdsburg residents will pay about 4 percent more for trash collection, effective immediately, according to a vote Monday by Healdsburg City Council.

Council unanimously approved the rise in collection rates as part of a 10-year agreement approved last year with the city's vendor, Redwood Empire Disposal Inc.

Based on a rate calculation contained in the 10-year agreement, residential rates will rise as follows:

--20 gallon cans will increase from $8.69 to $8.91 each.

--35 gallon cans will increase from $12.13 to $12.49 each.

--60 gallon cans will increase from $18.16 to $18.72 each.

--90 gallon cans will increase from $25.01 to $25.77 each.

The rate calculation, which results in a rise of 4.1 percent, uses data in various categories collected from the prior two quarters in the previous calendar year and the first two quarters from the current calendar year, and compares it to the same period from a year earlier.

Categories include cost of diesel fuel, labor, vehicle replacement, and vehicle maintenance. Also factored in are the disposal or "tipping" fees, composting and franchise fees.

Prior to the current franchise agreement, the calculation was based on the Bay Area Consumer Price Index, plus tipping and composting fees.

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