Come July 1, Claremont residents will be seeing their sanitation rates go up again.

The city council approved a 2.7 percent increase in the sanitation rate during last Tuesday’s meeting. The rate increase corresponds to an increase in the consumer price index (CPI), according to the city.

For single-family residents, a 35-gallon refuse container will jump from $22.43 a month to $23.03. For 64 gallons, rates go up to $27.52 a month, and for 96 gallons the price will go from $34.18 to $35.10 a month.

For commercial customers, one bin once-a-week service will rise from $138.23 a month to $141.46. Twice a week will rise to 282.65 and three times a week will go from $414.18 to $425.26 monthly.

Even with the increase, the city says the sanitation fund is expected to have a shortfall of nearly $300,000 for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The city is expecting to spend over $7.14 million from the sanitation fund to cover costs and provide services, while revenue expectations will total around $6.85 million.

Things will begin to level out the following fiscal year when the city yard building will be fully paid off, reducing spending by $500,000, the city said.

This year’s increase was lower than last year’s of 3.8 percent. Last year, however, the rate increase was decided at a public hearing, with discussion among the city council. This year’s increase was passed in the consent calendar, a group of agenda items that are considered “non-controversial” by the city and are passed together by one vote from the council.

The next council meeting will take place June 11.

—Matthew Bramlett

news@claremont-courier.com