03/06/1991 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e Mr. Scott said that in addition to work on exclusive territories, the board's potential work program items include: multi-family, commercial, and indus- trial recycling requirements, a yard debris collection system, proposing land- use and building code amendments to allow for more neighborhood recycling centers, more education and promotion for recycling, and encouraging a market for recycling. The board hopes to gain a sense of the council's priorities on the work program items. Mr. MacDonald expressed support for the volume-based rate structure, but noted that it should be phased-in to accommodate the needs of the community. He also expressed an interest in exploring the concept of exclusive territo- ries. Responding to a question from Mr. MacDonald, Ms. Utecht acknowledged that moving immediately to a volume-based rate structure would result in a dramat- ic increase in rates for 90-gallon roll cart containers and a drop in rates for the 32-gallon pack-out containers. Such a shift in the rate structure would cause a large number of customers to migrate from the 90-gallon con- tainer and leave haulers with an unusable investment. In addition, 32-gallon cans are less efficient to collect. For this reason, the board is looking at a phased-in approach, using a combination of a volume-based structure and a structure based on the cost to provide service. Mr. Gleason commented that the type of collection system operating in Eugene is more expensive than other systems because of the degree of competition that it allows. It is in the City's interest to move in the direction pro- posed by the board, particularly in light of the City's goals for recycling and waste reduction. He noted, however, that transition to this type of system will be a long-term agenda item. Responding to a question from Mr. Robinette, Ms. Utecht described what is likely to occur if the City began licensing haulers for exclusive territo- ries, namely that haulers' costs would drop with reduced competition which, while not necessarily lowering customer costs would likely stabilize these costs over the long run and the higher level of licensing fees that would be generated through such a system would allow the community to focus more heav- ily on long-term solid waste goals. Mr. Nicholson offered his support for an exclusive territories system, but noted that he has had the opportunity to experience the transition to such a system in another city where the decreased competition resulted in a dimin- ished quality of service. If Eugene does move toward this type of system, he suggested that the rate structure should take into account the increases in efficiency which are being given to the haulers and that a set of performance standards be provided to the haulers to maintain a sufficient level of ser- vice. Ms. Utecht explained that under the proposed exclusive territories system, the City would require haulers to maintain their licenses under the current terms and ordinance provisions. This would allow the City the ability to regulate standards and penalize haulers who are not meeting those standards. MINUTES--Eugene City Council March 6, 1991 Page 8