Logo courtesy City of Citrus Heights

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - The Citrus Heights City Council will decide at its next regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25, following a 60-day negotiating period with Republic Services, to either approve an amended and restated Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Collections Agreement with Allied Waste Services of North America LLC, subject to the results of a public hearing regarding a rate increase, or to direct city staff to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new residential solid waste and recycling collection services contract.

The city council spent almost two hours last November considering whether or not to move forward with pursuing negotiations with Republic Services, which is the current waste collection service company for the city of Citrus Heights, or to advise the city to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new provider.

Residents discussed a wide range of residential waste collection service options at the council meeting, as the city’s 10-year contract with Republic Services is expected to expire at the end of 2027.

According to the city, Republic Services has proposed an initial one-time 2.5 percent market adjustment, which would take effect Jan. 1, 2028, and a 3.5 percent rate adjustment effective Jan. 1, 2028 (equivalent to the current contract Consumer Price Index (CPI) water, sewer, and trash cap) for the 10-year term contract which would result in a total one-time rate increase of 6 percent.

Ongoing adjustments would also include an annual CPI cap of 4.25 percent based on the CPI-Water-Sewer-Trash index, with a one-year rollover provision.

If the combined index is lower, the lower index applies.

A variety of other options under consideration that could potentially reduce the cost of the neighborhood cleanup program include costs for potentially adding street sweeping into the contract.

Other possible service adjustments that would not increase the cost, including one annual local household hazardous waste drop-off event, a skid steer for community compost distribution and related activities, a utility truck for illegal dumping response and increased annual illegal dumping tonnage, and an alternative collection vehicle pilot program within 18-24 months.

The proposed customer rates will be finalized as part of the contract package and will be subject to approval during a public hearing prior to the start of the new agreement term.

In a chart shared by the city comparing the default cost of waste services using one 64-gallon trash can, Citrus Heights lists its price as $33.04 per month, although customers are billed bi-monthly.

Five other jurisdictions listed in the chart, including Sacramento County, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, and the City of Sacramento, charge between $36 and $54, with the City of Elk Grove as the only jurisdiction listed that charges less than $40.

City staff also shared a chart with costs reflecting the predicted rate increases and maintained that Citrus Heights would continue to have the least-expensive waste management services.

Citrus Heights city staff explain in the latest council meeting agenda packet that solid waste services are not subject to formal bidding requirements under the Public Contracting Code and that the city council may either approve a negotiated agreement, or direct staff to conduct a competitive RFP process.

“Consistent with this discretion, the existing agreement with Republic Services includes a provision allowing the city to enter negotiations near the end of the contract term, with no obligation on the city to extend the term of the contract,” the city said.

Council members were initially split last November on how the city should move forward.

Then-mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa and Councilmember Porsche Middleton initially favored starting with 60-day negotiations, while then-vice mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff and Councilmember Tim Schaefer favored an RFP, with Schaefer saying that the city’s largest contract “deserves an RFP.”

According to the upcoming city council agenda packet, the recent 60-day negotiations cost the city $50,000, and the cost can be reimbursed if the city moves forward with an amended contract with Republic Services.

Speakers at the previous city council meeting advocated for an RFP, emphasizing that an official Request for Proposal showed “good governance” and that “the (consideration) process would increase transparency, reduce the appearance of favoritism, and ensure the city would make a decision driven by data.”

Republic Services received high praise for its engagement in the Citrus Heights community and the company’s high level of customer service at the November hearing.

Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at City Hall, 6360 Fountain Square Drive at 6 p.m., or by submitting a written comment beforehand using the city’s website.

The deadline to submit comments online is 4 p.m., the day of the meeting.