Corte Madera Garbage Rates Increasing Slightly

Corte Madera, your garbage is likely going to cost you more in the coming year.

Mill Valley Refuse Service is introducing a 3.40% percent rate increase, which averages to about an extra $1 per month for customers. Customers with a 32-gallon garbage can who are now paying $29.34 a month on average, will see their bills nudge higher to $30.34.

"We go through this exercise every year. We see a little bit of an increase every year," said Jim Iavaroni, a managing partner at Mill Valley Refuse Service. "In the past couple years, it's been larger. That was because of the introduction of our food waste program, plus we took a fuel cost hit last year. I'm hoping that the increases we've seen in the past couple years are settling down now."

The Corte Madera Town Council will consider the rate increase at Tuesday night's meeting at 7:30 p.m. Town Manager David Bracken wrote a memo regarding a resolution "finding no objection" to the increase for solid waste collection and recycling services.

So, what's behind this year's increase? According to Iazaroni, the driving forces are:

• Increases in workers compensation insurance
• Increases in Office of Waste Management fees
• Increases in wages and benefits for employees
• And, a 20 percent decrease in the commodity prices for recyclables.

An independent consultant reviewed Mill Valley Refuse Service's application to raise its fees "with a fine-toothed comb," said Iavaroni, who will be at Tuesday's Town Council meeting.

"He made some recommendations and ... pulled some expenses off the table. So, the rate increase isn't as high as it might have been," Iavaroni said. "There's been some give and take in process. ... It's an agreement I think we can all be satisfied with."

Mill Valley Refuse serves approximately 14,000 households in Mill Valley, Corte Madera, Tiburon, Belvedere and surrounding unincorporated areas.

Corte Madera has some hefty business to attend to during Tuesday night's Town Council meeting before the town enjoys one of its biggest celebrations of the year. Government offices will be closed Wednesday for the Fourth of July.

Tuesday's agenda also includes discussion and possible action on the following:

• A resolution in support of Gov. Jerry Brown's pension reform plan
• Marin Clean Energy
• Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Review for Plan Bay Area