The City of Mesquite has set a resolution #562 but was tabled for a future meeting. This resolution would set a fuel surcharge for the city residents for increased fuel cost by Virgin Valley Disposal for solid waste disposal.
The last time City of Mesquite’s 90 gallon residential automated systems fees were increased was in June of 1996. Currently, monthly fees are $10.00 a month for solid waste disposal and $1.25 a month for automated can rental. Rather than increase fees at this time, this Resolution will add a fuel surcharge to all 90 gallon automated customers inside the City that the City of Mesquite Sanitation Department bills for quarterly. This increase would be based on the West Coast fuel index at the time of the billing and would be directly related to the cost of fuel at that time. All of this fuel surcharge will go to Virgin Valley disposal to off-set the increase in fuel cost for the future and would also allow the reduction in charges should fuel cost go down in the future.
All out of City accounts and commercial account fees are set by Virgin Valley Disposal in accordance to City Code Chapter 4 and the City’s solid waste agreements with Virgin Valley Disposal which has provisions in them to increase those fees. All of those accounts have already seen an adjustment on their billing in accordance to the surcharge sheet attached. In the City of Mesquite Solid Waste Collection Agreement dated April 26, 1995, Section #13, Changes in Fees. The City will, from time to time, consider a price adjustment to reflect changes in the cost of the contractors operations. The contractor must fully justify increases in the actual cost of doing business by substantiating his request with data, such as the wholesale price index, consumer price index, price index for fuel, materials, labor and other factors which contribute to the cost of conducting business. In addition, the contractor may petition the City at any time for price adjustments. The City shall make the final determination of the amount of any contract price adjustment and will not unreasonably withhold approval of a contract price adjustment request. As was stated above, the residential solid waste fees have not increased since June, 1996. Virgin Valley Disposal has done everything within their capabilities to keep solid waste cost down as low as possible.