BUENA PARK : Council Putting Blame for Trash Fee Increase on County

City Council members will raise trash-collection fees by $1.49 next month, but they are making sure that residents know why.

Along with notice of the 13% increase, homeowners and businesses will receive a letter blasting county officials for raising landfill fees by 54% to compensate for funds lost in the Dec. 6 bankruptcy.

The council “has taken a strong position on how it has regarded this bankruptcy as a breach of public trust and actual theft of city funds in the county’s investment pool,” begins the draft of a letter presented to the council Monday. “Unfortunately, the county is making all residents of Orange County pay for its financial failures.”

The city was among the few in the county to reject bankruptcy settlement terms that would have restricted the right to sue. Instead, city officials have joined a group of agencies preparing to file suit against the county and others involved in the debacle.

The city had $28 million in the investment pool and plans to sue for the $6.7 million that was not returned in the preliminary bankruptcy settlement, City Manager Kevin O’Rourke said.

City officials said that even with the proposed rate increase, residents will still have one of the lowest trash collection fees in the county. Currently, they are charged $11.19 per month.

The increase is necessary because county supervisors in May raised the cost of using their landfills. Park Disposal Inc., which collects trash for the city, will have to pay $35 per ton instead of $22.75 as of July 1. If officials do not raise local rates, the increase could cost the city $100,000 per month, Public Works Director Donald K. Jensen said.

Council members agreed to set a public hearing on the issue for July 10 and set the fee increase for July 17.