City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 19, 2019
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
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Consideration of FY 2020 WasteSmart Initiatives.
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ISSUE: Consideration of FY 2020 WasteSmart initiatives supported by the approved increase in the FY 2020 residential refuse fee.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the staff recommendation for implementation of FY 2020 WasteSmart initiatives.
BACKGROUND: On May 1, 2019, the City Council unanimously adopted a FY 2020 residential refuse fee of $411, which reflected a 10.2% increase in this fee to compensate for increases in contractor costs and the impact of China's new strict recycling processing standards. Through the Add/Delete process, Council also determined that $5 of the increase ($102,846) was to be used to fund FY 2020 WasteSmart initiatives contingent on Council approval for implementation.
WasteSmart is the City's 20-year strategic plan for solid waste management and was unanimously adopted by Council on January 12, 2019 (Attached). However, plan adoption was not a fiscal commitment to implement every recommended action at this time as is the case for other City Strategic plans. The decision to implement was to be determined through the annual budget process.
The City annually assesses a residential refuse fee paid by 18,871 customers, mostly single-family and townhome owners. The fee pays for collection and disposal costs associated with weekly trash and recycling collection, yard waste/brush collection, household hazardous waste center operations and special collections including Leaf Collection. The fee is listed on real estate tax bills and paid semiannually. Trash and recycling collection from businesses and multifamily homes (which comprise more than 70% of the City's waste stream) is mostly collected by private haulers. The...
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