1 TO: City Council
FROM: Andrew Vialpando, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Montserrate Gastelum, Administrative Analyst MEETING DATE: July 1, 2025
SUBJECT: Public Hearing to Review Delinquent Solid Waste Charges and Authorizing and Directing the County Assessor to Process Delinquent Accounts for Arakelian Enterprises (dba Athens Services)
RECOMMENDATION
Conduct a public hearing and adopt Resolution No. 2025-28, authorizing and directing the County Assessor to process delinquent accounts for Arakelian Enterprises (dba Athens Services) as a special assessment to include delinquent refuse bills to be collected at the same time and in the same manner as County taxes.
BACKGROUND
Arakelian Enterprises (dba Athens Services) serves as the City of Lomita’s exclusive franchise hauler and recycler of residential and commercial solid waste and organic waste. Due to sanitation health and safety concerns, Lomita Municipal Code (LMC) requires that all commercial businesses and residential dwellings subscribe to refuse collection services to ensure public health, cleanliness and environmental protection through the regular removal and proper disposal of waste, and that payment for such services be made directly to Athens Services. The City’s refuse agreement with Athens also requires such a provision.
In accordance with Section 5-3.20. (e)(3) of the Lomita Municipal Code, a notice has been mailed to the owner of record of each identified parcel with unpaid delinquent trash collection fees. If solid waste, recycling, and organic waste service fees and charges (and any applicable interest or penalties) are not paid within sixty (60) days of the date payment was due, the delinquencies may be placed on the property tax rolls for collection as set forth in Government Code section 38790.1 or other applicable law. Such authority shall be in addition to other available collection remedies provided by law.
CITY OF LOMITA
CITY COUNCIL REPORT
Item No.
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2 DISCUSSION
As in past years, Athens has provided the City with a list of delinquent accounts that are appropriate for placement on the property owner's tax bills. With the adoption of the attached resolution, the County Assessor will utilize Fund Number 183.51 – DQ Refuse Services - for the purpose of including delinquent refuse charges due to Athens Services as a special assessment for collection as part of the County's tax collection process. If trash collection fees are delinquent by July 1st, the total sum of unpaid delinquent charges and penalties for trash collection services, plus City administrative and assessment charges of $75, will be placed as a lien on the property.
Athens Billing Notification Process
Athens customers are issued a 30-day late reminder letter from Athens, and subsequent reminders every month that an account carries a past due balance. Additionally, a collection message is included on subsequent Athens quarterly statements that reads, “Your account is delinquent, please contact our office.” Initially only the billed customer/account holder receives these monthly/quarterly notifications (if different than the property owner).
Furthermore, property owners of delinquent accounts are notified twice prior to the public hearing. This year, property owners of delinquent accounts received their first notification on May 2025, then again in June 2025 through the public hearing notification. Athens Services mailed out notification letters to the owner of record of each identified parcel with unpaid delinquent trash collection fees on June 13, 2025. A public notice was posted at City Hall and various public locations on June 19, 2025, and in the Daily Breeze newspaper on June 20, 2025.
Attached are lists of properties that have been Athens Services as delinquent in payment of refuse collection fees as of July 1, 2025.
Notices were sent to the property owners on the attached lists advising them of the opportunity to appear before the City Council at the public hearing scheduled for July 1, 2025, to appeal the matter prior to the City proceeding with the special assessment for collection
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact to the City is nominal for the administrative processing. The City of Lomita would request that the County Assessor place delinquent past due amounts on the property tax rolls. Any past due amounts received would be remitted to Athens Services after subtracting the City’s administrative costs.
OPTIONS
1. Approve the attached resolution as recommended.
3 ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution 2025-24
2. List of Delinquent Refuse Charges for Athens Services
3. Public Notices
Approved by:
_______________________
Andrew Vialpando
City Manager