Form revised: December 6, 2011

 

 

 

FISCAL NOTE FOR NON-CAPITAL PROJECTS

 

Department:

Contact Person/Phone:

CBO Analyst/Phone:

Seattle Public Utilities

Deborah Caul/3-9064

Karen Grove/4-5805

 

Legislation Title:

 

AN ORDINANCE  relating to the solid waste system of Seattle Public Utilities; establishing rates and charges for solid waste services for the One Less Truck Pilot Program; and amending Chapter 21.40 of the Seattle Municipal Code.

 

Summary of the Legislation:

 

This legislation would establish rates for customers who participate in the One Less Truck Pilot Program (Program) to take place in the latter half of 2012.   The legislation would authorize the Director of Seattle Public Utilities to select the residences to participate in the Program and assign participating residences to one of two test rate structures.   The legislation would also authorize the Director to establish and pay a stipend to customers participating in the Program.

 

 


Background:  

 

Resolution 30990 outlines actions to be taken to reach the City’s goal of recycling 60% of the waste produced within the city, including pilots to test alternative collection frequencies by 2011.

The 2012 budget includes resources in the Solid Waste Fund to implement a Program to assess whether every-other-week garbage collection may help advance City recycling goals, save money, and maintain customer satisfaction levels.  With less frequent garbage pick-up, customers may be motivated to divert more organic waste (which has weekly pick-up) and recyclables from their garbage.  The Program will be conducted in a sample of neighborhoods that reflect the diversity of Seattle and will provide data to help the City evaluate this type of garbage collection for contract periods beginning in 2014. 

 

Please check one of the following:

 

____    This legislation does not have any financial implications.

 

 

_X__   This legislation has financial implications.

 

The 2012 Adopted Budget includes $205,000 for the Program.  No additional appropriation authority is required.

 

 

 

Other Implications: 

 

a)      Does the legislation have indirect financial implications, or long-term implications?

 

This legislation does not have indirect financial implications.

 

b)     What is the financial cost of not implementing the legislation?  

 

Without implementation of the Program, the City will not be able to assess customer behavior and satisfaction levels, environmental benefits, and possible cost savings from a potential switch from weekly to every other week garbage collection.

 

c)      Does this legislation affect any departments besides the originating department? 

No.

 

d)     What are the possible alternatives to the legislation that could achieve the same or similar objectives?  

 

There are no possible alternatives to the legislation that could achieve the same or similar objectives.

 

e)      Is a public hearing required for this legislation? 

 

No.

 

f)       Is publication of notice with The Daily Journal of Commerce and/or The Seattle Times required for this legislation?

RCW 35.21.157 states “a city that contracts for the collection of solid waste, or provides for the collection of solid waste directly shall notify the public of each proposed rate increase for solid waste handling service. The notice may be mailed to each affected ratepayer or published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the collection area.”

 

g)      Does this legislation affect a piece of property?

 

No.

 

h)     Other Issues:

           

None

 

List attachments to the fiscal note below: