The decision, made during an Aug. 12 City Council meeting, includes adjustments to the rate structure for commercial garbage collection and a new biweekly schedule for residential recycling and green waste collection.
In a nutshell
Council approved a new rate structure for commercial garbage collection—the first update since 2018—according to an Aug.13 news release.
These rates will be phased in over three years, starting in October of this year, with subsequent adjustments on Oct. 1, 2025, and Oct. 1, 2026. Specific figures for commercial rates were not provided. The residential garbage rate of $13.40 per month and the recycling and green waste rate of $4.26 per month will remain the same, according to the release.
To avoid increasing rates, the city will implement a biweekly collection schedule for recycling and green waste.
The impact
The change to a biweekly schedule for recycling and green waste is expected to save the city approximately $300,000 annually by reducing costs related to labor, fuel and equipment, according to previous reporting.
This adjustment may also result in new collection days for some residents as routes are revised, as per previous reporting.
"Collection routes and days of service have not been updated since 2010, despite continued population growth, leading to uneven and inefficient routes," said Matthew Eckmann, assistant director of public works for the city.
The new biweekly schedule aims to address inefficiencies that have arisen due to population growth since then, Eckmann said in the release.
Looking Ahead
The city is planning to open a new material recovery facility in 2025, which is anticipated to further enhance recycling operations, according to previous reporting.
To assist with the transition, the city will launch an outreach campaign, including a waste management app, which will offer information on collection schedules, route changes and recycling guidelines, according to previous reporting.
