MISSION VIEJO : City Officials Block Trash Rate Increase

City officials have blocked a trash rate increase proposed by the city’s waste hauler that was scheduled to take effect Oct. 1.

In a recent letter, the city notified Dewey’s Rubbish Inc. that because of a dispute over the company’s contract with the city, the Irvine-based hauler would not be allowed to raise rates for residential garbage service.

Dewey’s Rubbish notified the city June 28 that it intended to raise the monthly cost of waste disposal from $11.85 to $12.98 per household. Company officials said the move was needed because of increases in both the consumer price index and costs of hauling trash to county landfills.

But over the past several months, the city has questioned whether Dewey’s Rubbish is accurately reporting the amount of trash the company hauls. In August, the city called for the waste hauler to provide records to authenticate the firm’s figures.

A city-hired auditing firm is currently researching the trash company’s records.

Until the dispute is settled, “we did not agree that their requested rate increase was appropriate,” said City Manager Fred Sorsabal.

David Ross, general manager for Dewey’s Rubbish, said the firm was “not arbitrarily raising rates. This isn’t a rate increase, this is an annual adjustment mutually agreed upon by both sides and stipulated in the franchise agreement.”

City officials and Dewey’s representatives will meet Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the conflict.

Sources say that the meeting could result in a settlement that would be announced at a public hearing Thursday on the waste issue.