Title
Amending Section 220.05 of the Legislative Code to set rates for base level garbage service to be effective April 1, 2025.
Body
SECTION 1
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul has a Residential Coordinated Trash Collection program; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (“the City”) organized collection of solid waste from 1-4-unit properties in 2018; and
WHEREAS, the City entered into a Residential Solid Waste, Yard Waste, and Bulky Item collection contract (“the Agreement”) with FCC Environmental for the collection of these materials on March 29, 2024 with an effective date of April 1, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Section (12.2) of the Agreement states City shall pay the Contractor monthly a fee in accordance with the prices contained in the Rate Table; and
WHEREAS, Section (12.3) of the Agreement provides that the rates for Trash Collection Costs and Disposal Costs shall be set annually and per the fee structure outlined in Attachment 3 Rate Table with annually collection increases set at 3.5%; and
WHEREAS, If the published annual CPI for the previous year is greater than or equal to five percent (5%), the City shall enter good-faith negotiations with the Contractor to determine the total increase in rates to be paid to the Contractor for the current year. Any rate increase will be greater than or equal to three and a half percent (3.5%), but no greater than seven percent (7%). Rate increases pursuant to this Section 12.3 shall go into effect on April 1 of each year, starting on April 1, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the most recent annual rate adjustment was approved by the Council on October 25, 2023, for rates effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, Section 12.3 of the Agreement provides that the Disposal Cost shall be reimbursed to the hauler by the City monthly; and
WHEREAS, the ‘net contracted rate’ for disposal costs at the trash disposal facility was increased to $130 per ton and the actual average tonnage collected in the prior 12 months was 58,616 tons; and
WHEREAS, there are State and County taxes on residential solid waste in addition to base rates set by the City as provided in the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Ramsey County Environmental Charge (CEC) is a percentage of the cost of service and must appear as a separate line item on a bill, and Ramsey County’s CEC rate is 28% for residential customers; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota’s Solid Waste Management Tax is a percentage of the cost of service and must appear as a separate line item on a bill, and Minnesota’s Solid Waste Management Tax rate is 9.75% for residential customers; and
WHEREAS, each Hauler will add CEC and Minnesota Solid Waste Management Tax to the base level garbage service rates established by this ordinance;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby ordain:
SECTION 2
The Saint Paul Legislative Code Section 220.05 is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 220.05. - Base level service and additional service options.
a. Base level service: Each Residential Dwelling Unit (RDU) shall be charged one hundred (100) percent of the fixed costs and one hundred (100) percent of the variable costs for services. Base level service includes pickup of trash in one (1) of the service levels listed below and one (1) free cart change per year. The base level service includes pickup of up to 1 cubic yard bulky waste items per month and one (1) holiday tree for each RDUs. The rates for additional service options shall be adopted by the council by resolution. Beginning January 1, 2024 April 1, 2025, the cost per month, excluding state and county tax, shall be as follows for base level services:
1. Small trash cart every other week: 15.12 14.15
2. Small trash cart every week: 18.20 20.01
3. Medium trash cart every week: 27.24 27.39
4. Large trash cart every week: 32.50 33.28
b. Additional service options:
1. An RDU shall pay an additional fee for the disposal of overflow trash bags. An RDU may be charged for an overflow trash bag if its trash cart is not fully closed. An RDU is not required to notify the designated hauler for collection of overflow trash bags.
2. An RDU shall pay an additional fee for a yard waste subscription and must contact the designated hauler to arrange service. The City shall provide the subscribing RDU a yard waste cart. The subscription entitles an RDU to weekly collection of the contents of the yard waste cart and up to eight (8) compostable bags or yard waste bundles each week of the yard waste season for no additional fee.
3. An RDU who does not purchase a yard waste subscription may set out yard waste in compostable bags or in yard waste bundles for a per bag or per bundle fee. An RDU must provide at least forty-eight (48) hours' advance notice to the designated hauler for yard waste to be collected on the yard waste collection day. Yard Waste Bags or Bundles shall not exceed forty (40) pounds or two (2) feet in diameter and three (3) feet in length, and tree, stumps, dirt, or rocks will not be allowed.
4. An RDU shall pay an additional fee for all bulky items not included in the base level services.
5. An RDU may apply to the designated hauler for free walk-up service if all occupants residing at the RDU are physically unable to place trash at the collection location. An RDU who is not eligible for free walk-up service may apply to the designated hauler to receive walk-up service for a fee; there shall be an additional fee for any non- eligible RDU whose collection location is more than one hundred (100) feet from the public roadway.
6. An RDU, who fails to comply with set-out requirements, who requests the designated hauler to return to pick up trash or yard waste or requests off day service pickup from the designated hauler may receive such service for an additional fee.
7. Each RDU is entitled to receive one (1) cart change per year for no fee. If an RDU receives a second cart change in any calendar year, the RDU shall be charged a fee for that change. Replacement of a lost, stolen, or damaged cart due to misuse or neglect by the RDU shall be considered a cart change.
SECTION 3
This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force on April 1, 2025.