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New yard‑debris cart pickup begins in Estacada; residents report delivery, billing and opt‑out concerns
Summary
The city began its yard‑debris curbside cart program this week; staff said most carts were delivered and pickups began, but residents called about cart size, lack of prior notification, difficulty reaching Walker billing, and requests for the service to be optional. Staff will seek participation and tonnage data from Arrow and Walker Disposal.
Estacada officials said yard‑debris curbside cart service began this week and carts were delivered to residents, but the rollout drew dozens of calls and multiple complaints about cart size, notification and billing.
“Carts have been delivered, and this is gonna be the first week of pickup,” Staff member Melanie told the council during the meeting. She said residents should set out garbage, recycling and the new yard‑debris cart on their regular pickup day; yard debris will be collected every other week while garbage and recycling continue weekly.
Melanie said the city received a mix of reactions: some residents were pleased but others were surprised and upset that a 95‑gallon yard‑debris cart had been dropped on their property without earlier notice. She said the city had logged fewer than 10 emailed complaints and “probably less than 75” calls to the front office in the prior weeks; roughly 15 callers were “really upset.”
Council members asked about participation and composition data. “Will we be able to get any data back from Arrow and Walker disposal about the number of people that are participating in the program, like, as a percentage of their customer base?” Councilor McElroy asked. Melanie said she could ask for information about yards or pounds of yard debris removed and would see what data Arrow and Walker provide as the program moves into fall leaf season.
Melanie and councilors also discussed billing issues: the city is receiving reports that some residents had not received bills from Walker and that Walker’s office has been hard to reach. Melanie said staff is working with billing contacts (including a city staffer, Kim) to improve customer service and ensure residents can be reached.
Melanie said the program was designed as a bundle so it would be financially feasible; staff told council the city had considered optional opt‑ins but bundled the yard‑debris carts with regular service to make the program viable. She asked for patience while staff refines outreach and reporting.
Why this matters: curbside yard‑debris pickup changes routine collection and billing for households, and the city plans to track participation and tonnage to inform future service adjustments.
