Renton To Determine Use Of $237k Settlement From Waste Management

Nearly six months after a week-long strike by Waste Management drivers, the City of Renton is tasked with deciding how to use $237,000 from a settlement with the garbage company.

The settlement amount represents $10 per cart and $50 per dumpster that was not collected during the strike, said Linda Knight, Solid Waste Coordinator for the City of Renton.

The City can use the settlement funds a variety of ways, she said, adding that City staff gave the following options:

1. A one-time curbside cleanup event. The last cleanup event occurred in 2009..
2. Provide a credit to customers ($10 per cart or $50 per dumpster). The credit would likely appear on the January bill.
3. A ”Buy Down” option where the money would be saved to offset any future rate increase.

The Renton Administration’s preferred use of the funds is a combination of options one and two: A credit for commercial customers and a one-time curbside cleanup event for residential customers.

This solution would exceed the settlement amount by $29,000, but would not negatively impact the City's Solid Waste budget, she said.

Auburn, Fed Way, Kirkland, Seattle, Redmond have chosen to give customers credit, said Knight.

Mayor Denis Law is expected to sign the settlement agreement by the end of the year, and the City will deduct the settlement amount from its January payment to Waste Management.

The recommendation is now a standing item in Committee of the Whole, said Public Works Administrator Greg Zimmerman. The earliest this recommendation could go to Council would be the next meeting on January 7, but the decision on how next to proceed is now with Council President Randy Corman, he said.

Which option would you prefer the City chose for the use of the $237,000 in settlement funds from Waste Management?