In a surprising move, the city leadership has decided to implement a new trash collection plan aimed at satisfying resident preferences and supporting the welfare of solid waste collection crews. This sudden change comes at a time when the city was still in the process of evaluating collection services and the capabilities and needs of the Solid Waste Services department.
The decision to alter the trash collection system was influenced by a combination of factors, including ongoing evaluations and direct feedback from residents. The increasing volume of resident complaints regarding the frequency of trash collection seems to have prompted city officials to accelerate the decision-making process.
Starting from Monday, December 4, the manual trash collection schedule will shift back to twice a week and recycling, brush and bulky materials will be collected once per week. City Officials emphasize that standardizing the collection model for solid waste remains the goal. The city anticipates finalizing ordinance amendments in the coming months to officially formalize the twice-per-week collection structure.
The rapid change in the collection plan poses some logistical challenges. The city now faces the task of hiring an additional 21 solid waste collection employees to support the increased frequency of collections. A rate increase is needed to fund those additional employees according to the City, as well as increased wages for collection team members.
