Burrtec Waste proposes rate increases for Apple Valley residential, commercial services
Updated Friday, July 15: The update includes the proposed bi-monthly fee for the commonly-used 95-gallon barrel for residential customers.
The town of Apple Valley has announced a proposed rate increase for Burrtec Waste Industries services.
The town’s involvement with Burrtec includes billing customers directly for the waste services provided under the franchise agreement.
The proposed fee increase would help Burrtec recover from the rising cost of service caused mainly by inflation and the implementation of commercial food/green waste recycling required under state law, town officials said.
Burrtec offers rate structure fees for solid waste services, which include residential, multi-family, and commercial.
If adopted, the new bi-monthly fee for the commonly-used 95-gallon barrel for residential customers would increase from $59.04 to $72.74, a difference of $13.70.
The 60-gallon barrel would go from $53.56 to $67.54, an increase of $13.98, and the 40-gallon type, from $50.76 to $64.92, an increase of $14.16.
Proposed fee increases for commercial trash bin service are based on the size of the bin and the frequency of service/pick-ups.
For a one day pickup, a 1.5 size commercial bin would increase from $69.19 to $71.89, 2.0 size $91.56 to $95.17, 3.0 size $136.26 to $141.63 and a 4.0 size bin $181.09 to $188.24.
More: Faulty firefighting equipment may have let Synagro waste blaze spread in High Desert
Some of the additional proposed fee increases would affect commercial barrels, commercial compactor trash services, recycling commercial bin services, and food waste bins.
To view the full list of proposed rate increases, visit applevalley.org/services/solid-waste-trash.
Proposition 218 protest
The proposed rate increases will be adopted and go into effect on Sept. 1 unless written protests against increases are presented by a majority of property owners (50% +1).
Town officials said they are conducting a Proposition 218 majority protest proceeding out of an abundance of caution and without conceding the applicability of the proposition to the franchise agreement.
The Town has scheduled a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on August 23 for Burrtec/town staff to make a presentation regarding the proposed increases and for citizens to offer comments.
To submit written comments, email the town clerk at publiccomment@applevalley.org by noon on Aug. 23 and indicate whether you want your comments read aloud or forwarded to the council.
The meeting will be conducted inside council chambers at Apple Valley Town Hall, 14955 Dale Evans Parkway.
The full agenda and meeting can also be viewed online at AppleValley.org, on Frontier Channel 29, or Charter Spectrum Channel 186.
Apple Valley residents speak out
Several residents contacted the Daily Press regarding the proposed increases, including James Simon, who called the possible action by Burrtec “a sign of the times.”
“With the rising price of fuel, everything has or is going up,” said the 52-year-old Simon. “Burrtec, Southern California Edison, Southwest Gas and other utility companies are probably taking a hit so I can understand them wanting to raise prices.”
Simmons, who also has a home in Pomona, said his bi-monthly residential rate for waste pick-up is about $67 for a standard waste barrel.
“There are many retired and disabled citizens residing in Apple Valley who live on fixed incomes and are already suffering under the burden of the highly inflated gasoline prices,” Rick Van Stralen told the Daily Press.
Van Stralen added that fuel costs are already passed along on every product that is purchased and inflation is “already hurting us terribly. This proposed rate increase only creates more pain.”
“We are required under the Apple Valley Municipal code to subscribe to Burrtec’s service, so we are forced to accept whatever rate the Town Council decides to force upon us,” Van Stralen said.
He also added that between the “high cost of water through Liberty Utilities” and now the proposed increases in trash service, along with inflation, they have to choose between paying for certain costs or bills.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Burrtec Waste proposes rate increases for customers in Apple Valley
