Garbage hauler offers 10% rate cut

<p>The company expected to take over Petaluma’s garbage and recycling collection is offering to cut rates for residents and businesses if the city hires it for the next 15 years.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>In a letter to Mayor Pamela Torliatt last week, North Bay Corp. also said it would provide free service to public school campuses within the city limits.</p><p>“It is our goal to provide Petaluma good service at a fair price,” North Bay owner James Ratto wrote in the letter, which says the company can offer a 10 percent rate cut for residents and a 3 percent reduction for businesses.</p><p>In exchange, the company is seeking a five-year extension of the city’s existing 10-year garbage franchise, now held by hauler GreenWaste Recovery. GreenWaste announced earlier this year it was pulling out of Petaluma, citing economic considerations.</p><p>The city was expected to transfer the franchise to North Bay, which operates in seven other Sonoma County cities. But at least one council member, Mike Healy, has suggested that the city should explore whether an established local company like North Bay could offer lower rates to Petalumans.</p><p>Healy said this week he’d like the city’s staff to review North Bay’s offer but that he didn’t see any “show-stoppers” in the company’ proposal.</p><p>“I’m pleased with this development,” Healy said. “I think this framework will be a win-win.”</p><p>Torliatt stressed that the city should carefully review the proposal before the council weighs in, noting that North Bay has offered lower rates in letters to the council in the past.</p><p>“We’ve been down this road before with North Bay Corp. submitting letters outside the negotiations,” Torliatt said. “We need to let our staff vett the issue. There are always lots of loose strings out there.”</p><p>Ratto’s letter said North Bay would continue to operate the GreenWaste equipment now in Petaluma, would take over processing of recyclable collected in town and would maintain a separate set of records for a Petaluma operation. He also offered free service to campuses of the Petaluma, Old Adobe and Waugh school districts that are in Petaluma.</p><p>That could save Petaluma schools almost $120,000 a year, Deputy Superintendent Steve Bolman said.</p><p>“Obviously, in these difficult times, it would be advantageous to the district if this goes forward,” Bolman said.</p><p>The current contract with GreenWaste began in 2006 after a multi-year process to select a new garbage hauler. The council authorized a 9.1 percent rate hike for residents in 2008.</p><p>(Contact Corey Young at corey.young@arguscourier.com)</p>