Ceres residents who have tree debris that they need to get rid of outside of the normal fall leaf and limb collection period will have the option of paying for extra service.
Last week the Ceres City Council approved a new service program offered by Bertolotti Disposal that will allow residents to call the company and arrange for picking up such materials outside of the normal collection time and pay $45 for the service.
To help underwrite $55 of the costs and not fully make residents pay for higher fees, the council approved using some of the illegal disposal collection fees that are collected by Bertolotti in the franchised rate revenue payments.
The city will continue to provide seasonal leaf and limb pick-up – at no extra charge – from Oct. 1 through Jan. 9 so the new program applies to Jan. 10 through Sept. 31, for seasonal pruning activities if there is no room in the 90-green gallon organics container. The service would provide a two-yard bin delivered to the customer for a week’s time, solely for the collection of green (yard) waste.
The program will be administered through Bertolotti as a separate service with the city helping to promote the program through regular outreach, similar to how the bulky item collection service is managed. Program services will be facilitated through Bertolotti and not part of the city’s garbage collection services. Bertolotti will provide weekly records of scheduled bin deliveries to the city for record keeping and program tracking purposes.
Bertolotti will continue to provide the illegal disposal pickup services and has confirmed the new service will not impact this program as it currently operates.
Christmas tree curbside collection service will also continue through Jan. 9 each year, at the end of the seasonal leaf and limb program.
Public Works Director Sam Royal said that Bertolloti has assured the city that the illegal dumping fees in the rate structure will be enough to partially subsidize program costs.
The council voted 4-1 to approve the program. Voting no was Councilman Daniel Martinez who brought up the idea of expanding leaf and limb services into spring. His idea was scrapped due to costs that have to be spread among all ratepayers. At a prior meeting Martinez voiced his opposition to the “pay for extra service” concept, feeling many who need the service would not be able to afford it.
Leaf & limb collection now
The city of Ceres offers residential customers leaf and limb disposal pick-up service until Jan. 9, on an every other week basis. Collection of leaf and limb debris occurs on the day after the residence’s scheduled recycling pick-up day.
This service is not provided for apartment complexes or businesses.
The green organics cart should be utilized for yard waste and pruning debris collection before placing the remaining material in the street for collection.
Residents should be advised that leaf and limb piles will not be collected unless all of the following criteria have been met:
Limbs must be cut in lengths of four feet or less and no larger than six inches in diameter.
Place loose leaves and limbs in piles at least one foot away from the curb in front of the residence.
Leaf and limb piles must not contain garbage, dirt, plastic bags, tree stumps, palm fronds or grass clippings.
Any piles placed for pick-up that violate the above restrictions are subject to illegal disposal enforcement action as outlined in the Ceres Municipal Code.
