Lompoc grapples with sinking solid‑waste finances; council orders internal funding plan

A consultant presentation on Feb. 3 described a worsening financial picture for Lompoc’s solid‑waste utility and prompted council to direct staff to develop a city‑internal financing plan instead of an external lease/leaseback refinancing.

The consultant told the council the enterprise had negative cash balances in recent fiscal years, recorded operating expenditures higher than projected and saw a landfill stormwater project escalate roughly $1.7 million above the prior estimate. "The current condition of the solid waste fund is not good. It has negative cash balances," the presenter said, summarizing the gap between earlier projections and actual results.

The presentation offered three rate scenarios beginning July 1, 2027 — an accelerated one‑time 15% increase, a two‑step 8%/7% approach, and a gradual annual 5% increase — each intended to improve reserves and the enterprise’s creditworthiness for financing needs. The consultant noted the more accelerated option would produce the strongest results for lenders.

Councilors questioned the incremental cost of a lease/leaseback and the long‑term interest delta. Several council members and the mayor suggested an alternative: draw on restricted city funds and an interfund loan to avoid paying higher market interest and upfront fees. The mayor proposed combining a $2 million interfund loan to water with about $5 million from restricted accounts to assemble the roughly $7 million needed and to repay it on a 15‑year schedule. "We could keep this in house. We can charge ourself a half or 1%," the mayor said when outlining the idea of an internal loan structure.

City staff said they could return with a proposed repayment schedule and documentation on account restrictions. The council voted unanimously to direct staff to prepare a concrete plan for an internal funding alternative (including documentation of restricted fund sources and a proposed 15‑year repayment schedule) and to report back to council.

What to expect next: staff will return with the proposed interfund repayment terms, a list of candidate restricted accounts and a legal/financial plan for internal financing; if the council approves, staff said the city could proceed without the higher cost of external refinancing.