West Seattle snow aftermath: Trash rebate details made public

| Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

On New Year’s Eve, while at City Hall for Mayor Nickels‘ post-snowstorm briefing, we reported to you that he promised a rebate for some who’d missed multiple trash pickups, though no details were given at the time. An e-mail question this past weekend from a WSBer reminded us that it’s long past time for a followup, so we asked Andy Ryan at Seattle Public Utilities if the rebate details had been announced. He just sent them to us, in this customer Q-city A format:

Q: Can I get an adjustment for my missed garbage pickups during the December 2008 snow storm?

A: Yes, if your collection was missed twice. The storm started late on Wednesday, 12/17/08 and lasted through 12/26/08.

Residential accounts missed twice will receive a one-time $5 adjustment for this weather-related event. Commercial accounts (dumpsters) missed twice will receive a $10 adjustment. However, customers whose pickup day was Wednesday were only missed once (on Dec. 24), so they are not eligible for an adjustment. Neither are COFN accounts.

Q: How were the $5 and $10 amounts derived?
A: These amounts align with an adjustment already applied to the accounts of customers whose garbage collection was missed twice in one year.

Q: When will I see the adjustment, and how will it look on my bill?
A: This adjustment will be applied to eligible accounts with a bill date of 2/17/09 forward, until all accounts served during the storm period of 12/18/08 – 12/26/08 have billed. The adjustment will appear as a line item referring to the December 2008 snow event.

So keep an eye on your next bill.

MrJT February 9, 2009 (5:32 pm)

Any word on the “lessons leared” from SDOT and SPU that were mentioned time and time again that were to be on the Mayors desk by January 31st ?

WSB February 9, 2009 (5:55 pm)

I know there’s another council briefing coming up … will root around in the agendas and find out when.

Eddie February 9, 2009 (7:47 pm)

Funny, two misses out of 4 weeks in a month = 50% reduction but does not equal $5.

sam February 9, 2009 (8:22 pm)

that’s funny-
not even a mention of people who missed out on garbage pick-up for 3 weeks ? Friday people ?

there was no pick-up on 12/19, 12/26 or 1/2 (or even the holiday adjusted pick up days)

Todd February 9, 2009 (10:31 pm)

bohica

d February 9, 2009 (10:47 pm)

pffft

Scott B. February 10, 2009 (12:56 am)

We pay for garbage pickup or not picked up in the long run. Each Seattle resident eventually pays for the service no matter how good or bad it is.

I’m not complaining about that. That is the way it should be in order to keep people from not having garbage pickup.

I think residents who were unhappy with the service should complain to the City Council members and the Mayor, not Seattle Public Utilities. Some complaints might remind those politicians of their number one priority: getting re-elected.

TH February 10, 2009 (6:28 am)

Wow $5!

cleat February 10, 2009 (8:39 am)

So do we need to “apply” for the rebate or will it happen automatically based on a report by the g-men who come to make the collection?

G February 10, 2009 (11:24 am)

What about yard waste rebates? Any word on those?

JEM February 10, 2009 (12:03 pm)

two misses out of 4 weeks is not a 50% reduction, since your were able to put out all your missed trash when they did pick it up. Everyone still had the same amount of trash picked up, just not on the correct day. I would rather the city spend the money on fixing potholes or some other public service, than giving it back to customers who eventually had all their trash picked up anyway.

WSB February 10, 2009 (12:23 pm)

That is a point that our SPU contact made in a side note during our correspondence. Also, this kind of rebate/adjustment, he said, is not very common in the utility world. (If anyone has any evidence to the contrary, let me know … I haven’t had time to research that.) – TR

Johnm February 10, 2009 (12:26 pm)

SPU, right? Will we have a subcharge to pay for it, like the fire hydrant refunds?

alki_2008 February 10, 2009 (1:51 pm)

two misses out of 4 weeks in a month = 50% reduction but does not equal $5

Monthly residential service is less than $20, and the first missed collection isn’t what’s being reimbursed. It’s the second one that’s being reimbursed…so really it should be just a 25% reduction and so $5 seems fair to me.

My 2 cents!

brandon February 10, 2009 (3:40 pm)

We just got our recent statement for water, sewer and garbage, wow! The rate increases are just crazy, especially compared to just a few years ago. Bohica is right!

Sorry, comment time is over.