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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 10, 2005 Trash removal rate increase rankles residents By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Angry residents from the hills outside Ashland chided Jackson County commissioners Wednesday for allowing garbage pickup rates to jump 160 percent or more. Susan Taylor, a retired teacher who was one of about a dozen residents at the meeting, told the commissioners, "I would give all of you a failing grade in my class." The Highwood Drive resident, whose rates will go from $15.07 a month to $39.07 on Dec. 1, said that in approving a new contract with Ashland Sanitary Service without comparing rates with other companies, the commissioners didn’t consider the impact to about 400 residents affected. Some residents, who live farther from public roads, will see rates jump from $15.07 to $55.07. "I believe you folks have violated the law," she said. Another resident, Kimberly Young, said, "All this seems underhanded and duplicitous to us. That is why we will be filing a complaint with the state Attorney General’s Office." Advertisement Young said the rates to pick up trash at her Morninglight Drive house are going to jump from $385 a year to $620. She said she looked into trash service in other rural areas of the county and found they were much cheaper than Ashland Sanitary, which doesn’t offer her a recycling service. Commissioner Dave Gilmour said there were a lot of accusations being thrown around. "There was a lack of oversight. I’ll take responsibility for that," he said. Commissioners acknowledged that written notice might not have been sent to all the residents who will be affected by the rate change. At issue is a surcharge that Ashland Sanitary has added to the rates to cover the costs of going up long driveways off public roads. For containers placed 40 yards to one mile away, the surcharge is $24. For more than one mile, it is $40 a month. The basic service for trash pickup is $15.07 for one can. Russ Chapman, co-owner of Ashland Sanitary, said his company previously had been charging $4.40 to go up to 40 yards off a public road, but he said the drivers had been going even longer distances to pick up trash. "The original ordinance didn’t obligate us to go beyond 40 yards," he said. He said that the new rates are a "jump," but added, "This is something you don’t have to pay. They can bring it (the trash) down to the road." Chapman said his company isn’t happy that so many residents are so upset with the new rate structure, but said, "You’re in business and you can’t please everybody." He said he wouldn’t want to comment on what the rates are for other companies in the valley. For rural trash pickup, Rogue Disposal and Recycling Inc. charges $13.70 a month for one average size garbage can plus $4.35 to travel up long driveways. Suzanne Witucki, a Morninglight Drive resident, said the county has created a virtual monopoly by giving so much to Ashland Sanitary without checking on whether the service is being offered at a reasonable rate. "How could the county give Ashland Sanitary a blank check to do whatever they want?" she asked. Her husband, Jack Witucki, said the rates amount to "gouging." He currently pays a base rate of $15.07, plus a $4.40 surcharge. But the surcharge will go to $24, a 445 percent increase, to have the trash picked up at his house. Commissioner Jack Walker said it would be difficult to force a franchise to do something outside of the franchise agreement that was established in 1993. "Rates are based on what they’re willing to do the service for," he said. Walker said the county will be reviewing the franchise agreement to see if anything can be worked out. However, while he was explaining the county’s position, residents shook their heads. "You’re just talking," said Young. Walker responded, "That’s the problem. No one’s willing to listen." Taylor, the retired teacher, acknowledged that Commissioner C.W. Smith was vacationing during discussions about the trash service. She also said Gilmour has offered the most help to residents. "I give Dr. Gilmour an ‘A’ for honesty," she said. Walker, in saying his attempts to help residents were obviously unsuccessful, turned the matter over to Gilmour to resolve. "People have trust in Dave’s judgment," he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail Trash removal rate increase rankles residents ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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