In the face of pending litigation from unnamed Clear Lake residents, the Clear Lake City Community Association board passed a motion last week to discontinue the services of the current wastecontractor Waste Management and the fees charged to residents for the services.
Residents who have long-enjoyed and paid extra for the services of a wastecontractor hired by the CLCCA will now be given large, city-issued waste binsto pile a weeks-worth of trashinto, and must wait for a once-a-week trashpick-up, instead of the current twice-a-week. The new services will begin in February 2008.
Paid for 15 years
CLCCA General Manager Jim Keith said that for about 15 years Clear Lake residents have been paying garbage binto CLCCA, which covers the cost of the waste contract. Previously, residents had not been charged a fee, Keith said, because the association's other revenues covered the cost of the contract, but when the prices of the contract rose the fee was instituted to cover the extra expense.
Residents have often protested the amount of the fee, though, claiming the organization is making a profit since residents must also pay City of Houston property taxes, a large chunk of which goes to CLCCA for trash services.
Currently, the fee is $7 per month per household, or $84 a year, which is then supplemented by the $6 a month per household that CLCCA receives from the City of Houston.
Lawyers consulted
In a closed session during the meeting, CLCCA members consulted with Brian Peel and Clayton Hearn of the Roberts Markel law firm who are representing the board for the current litigation.
When the meeting returned to open session, Board Member Brice Hawley made a motion to limit the organization's expenditures to what the mil assessment fees would cover, a move which essentially eliminates the possibility of charging a garbage binand the waste contract service as well.
President Ray Banks said there were pros and cons to be considered in changing over to Houston's service, including the fact that the residents will all get a partial refund on their garbagefees next year after the service switch.
