INGLEWOOD – The Inglewood City Council council approved another trash rate increase during the Nov. 14 regular city council meeting after increasing rates back in March.
The City delayed increasing trash rates until after the runoff election for District 1.
On March 21, the City approved a temporary special rate increase of 3.12% starting April 1 through November 30.
Councilwoman Gloria Gray requested staff provide information on the proposed rate increases but Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. interjected to provide an answer alluding to the Special Rate Adjustment request being at the behest of their colleagues.
“The first increase is produced by the federal government as applied by the CPI and happens every year and the special rate for the new time window which is what Councilmen Morales and Padilla lobbied for and it covers the cost of doing business of picking up trash in a shorter time window as well as amortization of new signage in the City,” said Butts.
Trash pickup times were decreased by one hour when they were changed from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
“We are still working through some of those issues that starting at 7:00 a.m. don’t work in some areas won’t work for me because those are families trying to get their kids out to school,” said Morales.
Gray thanked them for ensuring the public knew what was being voted on.
“There are always going to be some hiccups especially when we’re transitioning to the new hours and it is a work in progress,” said Councilman Alex Padilla.
He also acknowledged residents complaints about missed trash pickups by the company by the number of emails received by his office.
“Some times they miss a spot and don’t pickup a dumpster but we make phone calls to get that corrected,” said Padilla.
The Council approved the original agreement with Consolidated Disposal Service LLC dba Republic Services on December 14, 2021. That agreement came under scrutiny due to Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts’ brother was working for the company at the time.
A complaint was lodged with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office by then Councilwoman Judy Dunlap who said that Inglewood residents would pay substantially more for Consolidated’s trash services than other bidders.
“These additional fees amount to approximately $25 [million] to $30 million dollars extra over the life of the contract,” she wrote. “This is unconscionable!”
Dunlap alluded to Consolidated being awarded the contract due to a nexus between the mayor’s brother and the company.
“My brother’s hiring had no bearing on the award of the contract,” Butts said.
In 2013, both the district attorney and the FBI investigated the garbage contract,
But no criminal charges were filed after the $100 million contract was approved.
Shortly thereafter, bankruptcy documents surfaced showing the mayor’s brother using the funds derived from his job at Republic Services as a source for his rent payment, to a home owned by the mayor.
Although Mayor Butts participated in voting affirmatively to enter negotiations with Consolidated, he abstained from voting on the final contract due to “optics”.
“My brother was an employee of one of the bidders at the time of the vote to award, and I abstained because of the optics of the situation,” Butts said at the time.
Agreement No. 22-087 allows for “annual rate adjustments in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and special rate adjustments that allow for increased levels of service which reduces service time.”
“The Special Rate Adjustments cover the added cost of increased level of service thereby reducing the service time from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for trash pickup and street sweeping. This increased level of service requires additional labor and equipment as well as 5,500 new “No Parking” signs.”
The City states the benefit of the reduced service time window frees up additional on-street parking which improves the quality of life of the residents.
The Inflation Rate Adjustments will increase Residential Services, Commercial Bins and Compactor Services, Construction and Demolition (C&D) and Commercial Organics by 5.17%
The Special Rate Adjustments will increase Residential rates 6.2%; Commercial rates 4.81%; Rolloff tonnage (except Mixed and C&D debris) 5.47%; and Rolloff tonnage mixed and C&D debris 20.28%.
The new rates will be effective Dec. 1, 2023 through Nov. 30, 2024.