Garbage rates on South Shore increasing

Garbage rates on the South Shore are going up Jan. 1.

The Waste Management Joint Powers Authority on Nov. 14 approved rates in South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County to increase by 2.88 percent and 2.66 percent in El Dorado County. This board is made up Nancy McDermid from Douglas County, JoAnn Conner of South Lake Tahoe and Norma Santiago with El Dorado County.

The respective jurisdictions still need to approve the increases requested by South Tahoe Refuse. South Lake Tahoe City Council doesn’t have it on an agenda, though. The only December meeting is on the ninth when the new council is sworn in.

The rates are lower than the garage company originally requested. The independent review of STR’s proposal said to lower the increase in part because of a disagreement about increasing retirement benefits.

Also at Thursday’s meeting it was agreed that STR after the first of the year will survey customers about curbside recycling as well as other service issues.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report