Two Recology Amendments Would Add $3.96 Million a Year—While One Requires at Least $2.04 Million in New Gate Fees

Two contracts, one combined increase

Kern County’s October 27 packet proposes annual compensation increases of $1,714,228 for Recology’s Bena Landfill agreement and $2,243,063 for its East Kern operations. Together they add $3,957,291 a year.

East Kern accounts for 56.7% of the combined increase and Bena 43.3%. The figures are staff estimates for proposed amendments, not audited invoices or proof that every authorized dollar will be paid.

A revenue requirement omitted from the fiscal-impact line

The Bena amendment also requires the contractor to bring at least 60,000 tons of compost residuals to the site at a $34-per-ton gate fee. The minimum equals $2.04 million in gross county revenue—$325,772 more than the Bena compensation increase.

Staff expressly says that revenue is not included in the fiscal-impact figure. It would be wrong to call the difference net savings: the packet does not state associated county costs, actual tonnage above the minimum or how revenues and contractor payments will flow over time.

Rates, incentives and hours also change

Bena’s monthly base rises from $195,000 to $215,000 and the per-ton rate from $7.32 to $8.35. An annual density incentive adds up to $140,000. East Kern’s monthly base rises from $107,100 to $135,000 and its ton rate from $20.35 to $23; a new Boron base equals $1,766,400 when annualized.

Mojave public hours would increase from 44 to 52 a week. Staff links limited Tuesday and Thursday hours to illegal dumping, but publishes no incident count or evaluation tying the added hours to a measured reduction.

What this analysis establishes

The newsroom compared both staff reports and amendments, recomputed compensation, fee, rate and hours changes, and separated gross revenue from net fiscal effect. The record supports a pricing-and-disclosure finding, not an accusation about contractor profit or performance.