• The current sanitation fee does not cover the costs of the current sanitation program. (The sanitation fee covers operating costs but not the total capital costs, including replacing equipment and vehicles.)
• To cover the current sanitation services and other public works tasks, including pruning, planting, roadwork, sidewalk work, tree work, stormwater work, event support, facilities management and odd jobs, four to five new positions would need to be added to Public Works.
• The sanitation fleet and equipment have aged out or are approaching the end of their useful life. (At least two garbage vehicles would need to be replaced at the estimated cost of $400,000.)
• If the city were to continue performing the sanitation services, the fees to individual households would need to increase by $115 per household to support the services and equipment replacement.

To determine the most cost-effective and efficient way to manage the city's solid waste disposal, the city issued an RFP to analyze if contracting with an outside vendor would provide cost savings while maintaining high-level quality service for the city.

The city intends to retain ten positions in its Public Works department. Current staff who are not retained will have the guaranteed option to work for the sanitation contractor provided they pass a drug test. The sanitation contractor has pledged to offer compensation packages starting at $17 per hour.

The proposed changes fit well within the adopted budget. Here's the breakdown.  

Total amount of funding available for non-sanitation public works personnel in the 2024 General Fund = $681,402 

Proposed 2024 Public Works Personnel Costs

 $743,629 = Total costs to retain ten positions 

    - $  40,000 = Personnel costs allocated to Stormwater Fund to retain yard waste services

    - $150,000 = Personnel costs allocated to Sanitation fund

 $120,000 = estimated costs of potential landscaping contract 

TOTAL:   $673,629 (within the 2024 operating budget) 

   - $  23,000 (additional potential savings if eliminate facilities' janitorial services

          $650,629 (total impact on the General Fund) (See Note 1)

Note 1: The total costs come to $30,773 under budget.

Moving to the new service structure will give homeowners an annual savings of approximately $220. Here's a breakdown of the costs to households:

Solid waste pickup will change to once a week. Recycling pickup will remain once a week and will accept the same materials: aluminum, flattened cardboard, paper products, and plastic containers labeled 1 to 5 or 7. Unfortunately, none of the contractors could provide an option for plastic film recycling in the proposals.

The contractor will provide bulk pickups, and the costs for residents will actually decrease. Currently, it costs $50 for a bulk pickup request, and the contractor is proposing a fee of $16.12. 

Yes, residents who cannot bring their trash receptacles to the curb for pickup may apply to maintain back door pickup with the contracted vendor.

Yes, but all of the proposals required bagging yard waste.

Outsourcing the landscaping services will enable the city’s greenspaces to be serviced with more expertise, consistency and horticultural skill. Outsourcing landscape maintenance will improve the quality and consistency of maintenance visits.

Public Works personnel will focus on other public works tasks, including planting, pruning, roadwork, sidewalk work, tree work, stormwater work, event support, facilities management and odd jobs.

Local businesses will continue to have the choice to opt-in to commercial solid waste disposal as part of their annual business license renewal. The contractor has proposed multiple commercial options and will perform the solid waste pickup for the businesses. Businesses may contract for a three-day or five-day pickup, which will remain very close to the current price for one-day or four-day service. An option for recycling services will also be available through Arrow.

If approved, changes would go into effect in mid-May.

The contractor will issue a 95-gallon solid waste receptacle to each household along with a recycling receptacle. Households that find they cannot fit all their waste in one trash receptacle will be able to pay the contractor for additional receptacles to meet their needs.

A tipping fee is assessed for organizations dumping solid waste into the county landfill. The current tipping fee for the city is $33 per ton. Though the county discussed increasing the tipping fees last year, the county commission has agreed not to change the fees for the three municipalities using the landfill.

The city must pay for the full costs of labor, equipment and facility needs while the contractor is able to defray the same costs over multiple accounts.