COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

June 16, 2010

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 29, 2010

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

Required Notification

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

James C. Porter, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Public Hearing to Adopt the Garbage and Recyclables Collection Service Charges Report in County Service Area No. 8 (North Fair Oaks Area)

RECOMMENDATION:

Acting as the governing board of County Service Area No. 8, adopt a resolution setting July 27, 2010 at 9:30 A.M. at your regularly scheduled Board meeting, as the time and place for a public hearing on the filing of the Garbage and Recyclables Collection Service Charges Report for County Service Area No. 8 (North Fair Oaks) for Fiscal Year 2010-11

BACKGROUND:

On May 17, 2005, your Board adopted Resolution No. 067303 which approved the extension of a Solid Waste, Recyclable Materials, and Plant Materials Collection Services Agreement with BFI (currently Republic Services, Inc.) by four years to December 31, 2010 to provide collection services in County Service Area No. 8 (CSA 8).

On July 14, 2009, your Board adopted Resolution No. 070189, which set the garbage and recyclables collection rates in CSA 8 for FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11. They are $22.21 per pick-up unit and $23.52 per pick up unit respectively.

On October 20, 2009, your Board adopted Resolution No. 070423 which approved a new franchise agreement with Recology San Mateo County (Recology) to provide services for the collection of recyclable materials, organic materials, and solid waste in CSA 8, and the remainder of the unincorporated South Bayside Waste Management Authority Service Area (Burlingame to Menlo Park) for a term of January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2020. Per the May 17, 2005 extension of the collection services agreement, Republic Services will service the accounts in CSA 8 until December 31, 2010 and Recology will start servicing the accounts on January 1, 2011.

DISCUSSION:

The County generates the revenue to pay the contractor for service to residential dwellings in CSA 8 by charging fees based on pick-up units for each affected parcel that meets the criteria outlined in County Ordinance Code 4.04.180. These fees are defined and adopted each fiscal year in the Charges Report and placed on the tax roll. All other commercial and industrial properties that do not have the charges placed on the County tax roll are billed directly by the contractor pursuant to the franchise agreement.

The County Ordinance Code requires your Board, to hold a public hearing to consider public testimony prior to adopting the Charges Report based on the rates adopted by your Board. The recommended action, adopting a resolution setting the time and place for the public hearing is the first step in the process and is procedural. After the close of the public hearing, the Board may adopt the individual charges as presented, or revise, change, reduce or modify any charge in the report.

Adoption of the Charges Report for FY 2010-11 and its filing with the Clerk of the Board will result in the user charges contained therein being placed on the tax roll. These charges will appear on the FY 2010-11 tax bill of each affected property and will be collected in the same manner as the property taxes.

The additional unincorporated area covered by the recently executed franchise agreement will be billed directly by Recology and the charges will not be placed on the tax bill. The Department will recommend collection service rates for adoption by your Board once the South Bayside Waste Management Authority has calculated the proposed rates. The rate calculations will be completed prior to the end of the calendar year.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form

Approval of this action will contribute to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Collaborative Community by engaging residents in a process to adopt the Charges Report to levy the fees on the tax roll for continued garbage and recycling collection services in CSA 8 (North Fair Oaks Area).

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action of setting a public hearing. Staff time involved in preparing the Collection Service Charges report, administrative documents, and public advertisement of the hearing is part of the administrative cost associated with managing the Garbage Collection and Recycling services in CSA 8 and is financed with CSA 8 Funds.