Piqua Looks to Outsource Trash Collection
The Piqua City Commission will be busy tonight as trash collection is one of the items on the docket.
Months of detailed discussion and analysis may come to completion tonight as the Piqua City Commission is poised to vote on a resolution that will outsource the city’s trash collection services to Rumpke.
This resolution comes after a lengthy process of evaluation and negotiation. In July 2024, the Commission was informed about future cost increases and challenges facing the Sanitation Department. Following this, a series of discussions, including an Executive Session with City Commissioners in September 2024, took place. The city also engaged in negotiations with the AFSCME Union to address the potential impact on current full-time employees.
This publication talked in detail back in November about this issue and the fiscal analysis behind the potential move to outsource this service.
The proposed contract with Rumpke Waste and Recycling would commence on April 1, 2025, and run for five years, with an option to extend for an additional five years. Under this agreement, Rumpke would provide weekly solid waste collection using the city-owned carts currently in use. The service would include the collection of up to three large or bulky items on collection day, with certain conditions such as wrapping upholstered furniture in plastic and providing 24-hour notice for large items. In addition to waste collection, Rumpke would also handle weekly curbside recycling collection, utilizing the existing city-owned carts. Yard waste would be collected and treated as solid waste.
The contract outlines a detailed pricing structure for various service levels, including standard residential rates, senior residential rates, and commercial curbside rates. These rates are set to increase gradually over the five-year contract period. For instance, the standard residential rate for a 95-gallon cart would start at $21.00 in the first year and increase to $25.53 by the fifth year.
One notable aspect of the contract is the gradual replacement of city-owned carts with Rumpke-owned carts. This transition is expected to be completed by December 31, 2027.
The resolution and contract also address potential future challenges. They include provisions for adjusting costs in the event of new governmental regulations that might impact collection, disposal, or associated fees.
This move towards privatizing sanitation services represents a significant shift for Piqua. The city administration has cited cost increases and operational challenges as motivations for this change. However, steps have been taken to mitigate the impact on current city employees, with negotiations ensuring that full-time employees could be placed in different positions across various departments.
The resolution, if passed, would mark the culmination of a process that has been a long discussion for the City Commission. Overall, the long road leading to this decision reflects the city's efforts to address long-term sustainability and efficiency in its sanitation services while balancing the needs of residents, employees, and the city's budget. The Commission also deserves credit for being deliberate and transparent in their decision making process, allowing citizen input in various stages of the process.
There is no doub that if this resolution is approved, it would set in motion a significant change in how Piqua manages its waste and recycling, potentially impacting every household and business in the city. As such, it represents a crucial decision point for the city's leadership and a topic of considerable interest for Piqua's residents.
What Do You Think?
Piqua residents: Are you in favor of the outsourcing of trash service? Share your thoughts and ideas in our comment thread!
Of course, longer pieces are always welcome. If you want to share your thoughts without the limits of word counts and paywalls, you can always send your writing to pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com and it will be run in a future edition of Civic Capacity.
Tell Us How You Feel About Your Community!
Our reader survey for this month is looking for responses! Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas on your hometown! You can access the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PF6SPPN
Check out our New YouTube Channel!
Our goal with the Civic Capacity YouTube Channel is to be a centralized location where residents can watch videos of local government meetings in action and also provide comments and insights. You can check out the channel here!
You Can Help Support This Work!
Our readers and subscribers have been asking for a new way to support the work being done here at Civic Capacity! Some of our readers do not like the idea of having to sign up for another subscription service. Some of our subscribers occasionally want to give more support through a one-time transaction.
Civic Capacity is partnering with “Buy Me A Coffee” to give our readers, subscribers and friends an opportunity to give one-time support to Civic Capacity. Personally, I don’t like coffee, but I will never turn down a nice iced tea. If you feel compelled to support this effort, just click the button below.
Thanks for reading today’s Civic Capacity Newsletter! Please feel free to share this information with your friends and neighbors.
Also, please consider subscribing to our work. If you are a free subscriber, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. For less than $1 a week, you can get timely and conversational updates about the decisions that are impacting you and your community!