Public Hearing to Discuss Raising Trash Fees in Hawaiian Gardens

August 10, 2021

STAFF REPORT

The City of Hawaiian Gardens will hold a Public Hearing to consider increasing the current rates for trash hauling fees with Waste Resources, Inc (WRI) on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 6:00 pm at the Hawaiian Gardens City Council Chambers.

Prior to the Public Hearing, the City will host a virtual community meeting on August 31 via Zoom to answer questions from the public and offer full context for the potential rate increases.

Spanish translations will be available during the virtual meeting.

The City will publish more information about participating in the virtual community meeting on the website HGTrashRates.org.

“This is an important issue, and we want to make sure our residents can make informed decisions. While the September 14 Public Hearing is when Council will make their decision, we have also decided to host the August 31 community meeting to ensure we can answer questions and educate the public to the best of our ability,” said Hawaiian Gardens City Manager Ernesto Marquez.

“We hope that all Hawaiian Gardens property owners and ratepayers will review the resources we have made available, and we encourage them to ask any questions they may have during the community meeting.”

The September 14 Public Hearing, following Proposition 218, will serve as an opportunity for Hawaiian Gardens residents to express their opinions and formal protests regarding the potential rate increases.

Property owners and ratepayers may submit written protests before or during the Public Hearing by mail or in-person to Hawaiian Gardens City Hall.

At the meeting, the City Council will hear all written protests and comments on the proposed rate increases and then consider adopting the rate increases.

Hawaiian Gardens’ current solid waste rates came from the previous City Council’s agreement with a former waste hauler that could not maintain service in Hawaiian Gardens.

WRI took over the agreement at the previous hauler’s rates with the understanding that rates would need to increase in the future to maintain acceptable and sustainable service.

After delaying a rate change in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WRI is asking the City Council to consider the rate increase this year to maintain its solid waste service levels and recover the costs resulting from the new State organics recycling requirements (SB 1383).

For more details about the proposed trash rate increases, upcoming meetings, or how to submit a formal protest, please visit HGTrashRates.org or contact the City at [email protected].