[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6562354,"mediaKeyId","3276522-871b62ca3621fa28d0a55e677796a869","parentId",3276522,"title","Council awards five-year trash contract to Priority Waste, approves carts-only rollout and city-paid assistance for disabled residents","audioSeconds",2113,"startMs",3009000,"endMs",5122000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276522-871b62ca3621fa28d0a55e677796a869&start=3009&end=5122","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276522-871b62ca3621fa28d0a55e677796a869/thumbnail_3009000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6562354/Madison-Heights/Oakland-County/Michigan/Council-awards-five-year-trash-contract-to-Priority-Waste-approves-carts-only-rollout-and-city-paid-assistance-for-disabled-residents","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562354-9a9d753324992b2f17d05ceb02b30e60/orig.mp4?Expires=1770923493&Signature=NB48mDI3kopc~5htJ3boEp2sirHVGVEArpY3PEf04ZUW7aYP22gFZ12YX0vfuWaPrs0Xeeo2VZ3pIE9hN5FjFiBCweBkFg3u1lwJfu59OGLMdqGkbsMrCB8uILNiBSh5y4t66fj5oxdGSNEdbHxNYv5CQGLVFZ9jKmc1g~jIZXVu0ST4IGVGuUTjAEgHgrGYJQL8UdDcrRyAGi7aMtwS3hyps9Uowsowht-zrn2X0l3tpdlTrQoSCyZnZwMLkI6U4MrqEpvcZOVLJDRFhTez-2Pewn6TXNYilNutDcQYO4qLUMYiQo8EvTQfauCV0gfsx-xzWejGSLoVfOuRkpWSxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Madison Heights","date","2025-05-12T23:23:11Z","article","Madison Heights City Council voted May 12 to award a five-year contract to Priority Waste for solid-waste hauling and disposal and to transition the city to a carts-only collection model, with an assisted-service option the city will fund for permanently disabled residents. The motion passed 6-0.

Staff said the invitation to bid requested the current semi-automated “cart-plus” service as the status quo and asked bidders to provide pricing for a fully automated carts-only alternative and other cost-saving innovations. After evaluation and resident input from two “trash talk” public meetings, staff recommended the carts-only option and acceptance of Priority Waste’s bid. Staff presented an estimated first-year cost for the recommended option of $1,814,070 (pending final unit-count determination).

Presentation materials and staff comments said a carts-only program is projected to save roughly $200,000 per year compared with the current cart-plus model and could save about $1 million over five years. Staff also said the carts-only approach reduces litter and animal-scattered trash, improves efficiency and may increase recycling rates by providing designated recycling carts. The city’s millage allocation for solid waste was explained as 2.4283 mills; staff used example figures showing an average household market value of $225,000 and taxable value near $60,000 equates to roughly $145 per year for weekly trash, recycling and yard-waste service funded by the millage.

Council and staff described practical rollout details: the city has ordered trash and recycling carts with delivery expected by September 2025; residents who already own carts may keep them or accept the city-issued carts (staff said old carts are planned to be recycled); bulk-item pickup (one bulk item per week) would continue; additional carts would be available for households that need them. A disabled-assistance program will be available by annual enrollment for residents with verified permanent disabilities; council amended the final motion to specify the city will pay the assisted-service cost rather than charging qualifying residents. Staff and the vendor said the assisted service aims to help those without support networks and is not intended as a paid concierge option.

Residents raised questions at the meeting about overfilling, whether previously purchased personal bins could become landfill waste, narrow driveways and handling small-lot properties. Staff responded that additional carts can be purchased, that carts provided by the city may be kept or recycled, and that Priority Waste offers an assistance program. The council asked staff to develop documentation requirements and safeguards for genuine permanent disabilities to limit program abuse.

The council’s motion authorized the city manager and city attorney to negotiate and enter the contract pending legal review. Councilors and staff said the carts-only rollout is funded in part by a $500,000 grant plus $500,000 from the general fund for cart purchases; staff estimated the payback of the cart investment would occur in under three years given the ongoing service savings. The council vote was recorded 6-0 in favor.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular City Council Meeting - May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Madison Heights will award a five-year solid-waste collection contract to Priority Waste and transition to a carts-only system; council approved a city-funded assistance program for permanently disabled residents and accepted a contract estimated at $1.814 million in year one.","taxTitle","Madison Heights, Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",55558,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562358,"Madison Heights to replace county assessor services with Assessment Administrative Services LLC; three-year contract approved",961,2234000,3195000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276522-871b62ca3621fa28d0a55e677796a869&start=2234&end=3195","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276522-871b62ca3621fa28d0a55e677796a869/thumbnail_2234000.jpg","/articles/6562358/Madison-Heights/Oakland-County/Michigan/Madison-Heights-to-replace-county-assessor-services-with-Assessment-Administrative-Services-LLC-three-year-contract-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562358-d33b2bacc81b43efbfae165c046d76b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770923493&Signature=JOoGrlz9sSoDneWdz1tbjl6x-AV82N2ORMQ8daxhjyzWDUAWKLbvUJ-KAz0apsW8r0aoyWHpG1bEuoQTVQB0hG-B1pi5FjqxQ9aLB7wTTkjhvUU-RWpBCNGOPmx8mTDvZ3wFjtxkgDvL5CEV4t4ZSNLSAik4xgGXKxMwi8XqCtFdCwbKaVxtV-G2gfY-xsKMJA6yMZQbyu0c5NACE3dyE3DS-4nDtPF5NQc1X6UvUvQ97y8WZ2sUdsDGehfq9ih2LO7eSm4wBXkwsbMbffeDHkZTIO0wSoUvs-umYKNQ5zJeUmuH6A1wZW~ZcpQukUImd-RPMJ-P2PdW9cYQ0zgCgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Madison Heights City Council voted May 12 to terminate its assessing services contract with Oakland County and award a new three-year contract to Assessment Administrative Services LLC (AAS) beginning July 1, pending final legal review.

Staff said the selected option (Option 2) will provide one day per week of on-site staffing plus an additional 16 hours per month from a certified assessor, remote availability and field-work support. The first-year flat fee in the proposal is $229,980, with a 4% annual increase thereafter. Staff also advised there will be additional, separate costs to migrate the city to local BS&A equalization software.

Council members criticized the late notice and the magnitude of the county’s proposed increase, saying Oakland County initially proposed a much larger jump in fees. Speakers described a county board amendment that smoothed the increase into a smaller first-year hike (described by staff as about 25%) with back-loaded costs in years two and three; councilors said the county’s originally proposed multi-year increases would have raised the city’s costs into the $400,000–$500,000 range in later years. By contrast, the AAS proposal provides the stated level of service for a lower flat fee within the city’s current budgeting assumptions, councilors said.

Council approved the contract award and authorized the city manager and city attorney to finalize the agreement, contingent on legal review. Staff told council the transition should be seamless and that residents will see more frequent local staffing to handle assessment questions than the city received under county service. Council’s recorded vote on the action was 6-0.

Implementation steps include final contract execution, migration planning for the BS&A software, and a public notification to residents that assessing services will be local starting July 1.","Council voted to end the county assessing contract and award assessment services to Assessment Administrative Services LLC, a three-year agreement that staff say is within the current budget and will begin July 1.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562363,"Madison Heights council adopts FY2026 budget, holds tax millage steady; water and sewer rates to rise",629,936000,1565000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3276522-871b62ca3621fa28d0a55e677796a869&start=936&end=1565","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3276522-871b62ca3621fa28d0a55e677796a869/thumbnail_936000.jpg","/articles/6562363/Madison-Heights/Oakland-County/Michigan/Madison-Heights-council-adopts-FY2026-budget-holds-tax-millage-steady-water-and-sewer-rates-to-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562363-695efc036dd3c9246f52e8408c13ab36/orig.mp4?Expires=1770923493&Signature=O4ESCWrtqtWRJ3uzupWLWb16Kchd~7GmePFUBhYkci61sJ5jzbpw1qrHBXcaJFi8B0dXcJwjBMqPdMKkyyLHM9UukU0h5wLRvNEflikpv~qamu281FfXLrhQlOogXxiq4uoR964j7mStKBpc~CGL1OTpb76efkdAUQIzREGM7mJIjVAPAuKJkXl8lAynUZtVo6Y8AUCpipeQfPCOl20wtOarqgwGGgxj7NrIrkC2fsX1gmEZBZhLwnl2tO7pL4YtzZ87UwwnelGWpcsrOSc4ShhOOwg4jSmBht-5PO4QSGdmb~2w9TJWLh862PIVtoD8NM9ccWhcAob6CGvA0pd-qA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Madison Heights City Council on May 12 approved the fiscal year 2026 budget resolution and tax levy, maintaining the city operations millage at 25.4572 mills and approving adjustments to water and sewer rates that take effect for bills on or after July 1.

City officials said the FY2026 plan holds the general millage steady while proposing a 6.366% adjustment to combined water and sewer billing to reflect higher wholesale costs passed on to the city. Under the changes described at the public hearing, the water charge would move from $4.44 per unit to $4.74 per unit and sewer would increase from $6.56 per unit to $6.96 per unit.

The resolution was presented during a public hearing required by the city charter and the manager/finance staff recommended council adopt the budget, establish the tax levy and approve fee changes for water, wastewater and other department fees. The charter citation provided to council was section 8.4; council was also told that adoption under the charter’s section 7.6(b) requires a supermajority of five votes. The motion to adopt passed 6-0.

Council members and staff emphasized the tight fiscal context the budget reflects. Council members thanked the finance team for producing a plan that limits tax increases while trimming capital outlays and other spending. During the discussion, councilors noted that a sizeable share of property tax revenue is already committed to legacy pension and health-care obligations and encouraged additional public education on how those fixed costs affect annual budgets.

No member of the public spoke at the budget hearing; the council opened a separate public-comment period for other topics later in the meeting. The adopted fee changes and the tax levy resolution will be implemented according to the timeline described by staff, with the new water and sewer charges reflected on billing cycles starting after July 1.

The council vote on the resolution was recorded as 6 in favor, 0 opposed.

Looking ahead, staff will finalize the implementing ordinance/resolution language, update billing systems to reflect the new unit rates, and distribute public education materials explaining how fixed legacy costs and property-assessment differences affect individual tax bills.","At its May 12 meeting the Madison Heights City Council approved the fiscal year 2026 budget resolution and tax levy, keeping the city operations millage at 25.4572 but approving increases to water and sewer rates effective with July 1 bills.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council awards five-year trash contract to Priority Waste, approves carts-only rollout and city-paid assistance for disabled residents

Madison Heights to replace county assessor services with Assessment Administrative Services LLC; three-year contract approved

Madison Heights council adopts FY2026 budget, holds tax millage steady; water and sewer rates to rise