Councilman Daniel Martinez would like to see the city’s leaf and limb pick-up program expanded, feeling the city doesn’t provide enough time for residents to dispose of tree trimmings and leaves.
Currently the city only collects leaves and limbs at curbside from in the fall, from Oct. 1 to Jan. 9, on an every-other-week basis. Previously the city picked up such materials year round.
Martinez has suggested moving the leaf & limb program to the spring, saying some residents still don’t know the city’s program has ended.
“So you’re driving around in February and March and April and still on some roads in our city in July there’s still Christmas trees waiting to be picked up,” said Martinez. He noted that tree pruning and still takes place into the spring and summer.
The city was expecting people to use their green waste cans to deal with getting rid of leaves, small leaves and even chopping up Christmas trees if they were too late getting them to the curb by Jan. 9.
Ceres resident Dave Pratt agreed, saying unsightly piles of tree trimmings are common on residential streets and year round collection is the answer.
“Some of those piles are there for weeks,” said Pratt.
Resident John Warren agreed, saying residents still are violating local code when they place grass clippings at the curb instead of their green waste cans and setting palm fronds at curb – also a no-no.
“Educating the public is like pouring sand down a gopher hole in that regard,” said Warren. “They know the rules. They (city) have educated and educated and educated and … the people know the rules; they just choose to ignore them because of the lack of enforcement.”
The current program was scaled back from year round collection in 2020, due to the addition of the 90-gallon organic/green waste weekly collection service that can accommodate grass, leaves and other green waste. The scaling back also helped offset the cost of picking up the organics cart and recycling service.
The city’s policy is that piles of leaves and limbs in the street during off-season months is considered illegal disposal. To enforce compliance, a violation and penalty structure was set up.
To help educate residents about changes to the leaf and limb program, information was included in the recycling guide, landscape signs throughout the city, flyers in the utility billing, newspaper articles, door-to-door personal contact, the city’s website and on social media.
Expanding services would mean increased costs to the city’s contract with Bertolotti Disposal and increasing fees. Likely that will require the city to hold a Prop. 218 protest hearing.
Vice Mayor Bret Silveira mentioned looking into the possibility of only offering year round collection by appointment with a special charge rather than increase the fees for everyone in the city.
That idea appealed by Councilwoman Rosalinda Vierra who said “why would I want like a $10-$15 increase for something that I’m not even utilizing? Everything fits in my green bin as of now.”
When Councilman James Casey heard Vierra say she has no tree in her front yard, he understands the city ordinance required one. He asked if the requirement is no longer in place, to which City Manager Doug Dunford indicated that he wasn’t familiar with the tree ordinance.
Earlier in the meeting, the council received a presentation to educate them on what services Bertolotti Disposal under their eight-year contract which began August 2021.
The city of Ceres has contracted with Bertolotti since 1971. The contract is designed as a revolving eight-year contract that would roll over year to year.
