Amador County – Amador County Board of Supervisors last month set a rate increase hearing for ACES Waste Service Area 1 for July, while agreeing in majority to defer two rate decreases called for by data.

Supervisor Chairman John Plasse and Supervisor Brian Oneto dissented in the 3-2 approval to send a Proposition 218 notice for the increase, and set a July 12 hearing. Plasse said not having decreases was “deviating from the methodology” of the franchise agreement with ACES. Oneto said ACES should not be eating the compliance costs to meet California Air Resources Board regulations, and it “should be an itemized specialty.”

ACES President Paul Molinelli said ACES ate about $200,000 in a 2-year process to adhere to the California Air Resources Board, and it was “not even finance-able,” but the work was done, and the company was still standing.

Plasse said 2 percent is about 35 cents a month to customers, and Molinelli said vehicles are $25,000 to $75,000 each, and “we haven’t gotten any grant.” They had to buy trucks to take over the service in Ione. He said “we don’t feel we need to do it right now.”

Plasse said “Area 3 could get a decrease, where the highest gasoline is used.” Molinelli said that 1.4 percent decrease would be followed with a larger rate increase if gas costs don’t go below $3 a gallon. Molinelli said they would prefer not “to give a decrease and then immediately have an increase.”

Molinelli said the company should be allowed to forego rate decreases because of the costs it had run there. The reductions instead would be put off a year, and diminish potential hikes next year.

Molinelli said “that rate decrease does not take into account a $45,000 loss in Franchise Area 2, from July to December of last year.” He said a “full year’s loss will be close to $100,000.” ACES currently is not serving Camanche Recreation area, and is involved in a lawsuit there, as the area hauls its own waste.

Supervisor Louis Boitano said Jackson Rancheria also bought their own trucks and is hauling waste from their Sutter Hill apartments, within the Sutter Creek service area. Molinelli said Camanche “is the one we are fighting for,” and he believes the Rancheria’s operation is legal.

Supervisor Richard Forster said the notice to Area 1 should go with a letter saying: “Here’s what ACES is absorbing. I think it should be told to the customers.” Plasse supported the letter.

Increases were OK’d for Buena Vista and Pine Grove transfer stations, but did not require Prop 218 noticing. Molinelli said “historically, they run separately” and are “separate entities.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.