The Port St. Lucie City Council voted to reimpose the city's solid-waste service assessment with an increase of $20.89 per household for fiscal year 2025-26, raising the annual assessment to $467.33. The council approved the measure during its Aug. 25 meeting after a public hearing and extended discussion of how recent landfill and contract changes affected the price.

City staff and the director of neighborhood services described the increase as the product of two forces: a contract indexation tied to a Consumer Price Index (CPI) clause in the city's franchise agreement and higher disposal charges announced by the St. Lucie County landfill. Mariana Felposch, who presented the city's analysis, said the franchise agreement limits the annual CPI adjustment to 4 percent and that this year's CPI for the sector exceeded that cap; the city therefore absorbed a partial savings on the collection component but could not avoid the landfill-driven disposal increase.

Council members and staff recounted the emergency procurement process in 2022, when the previous hauler's franchise ended abruptly and the city had to find a replacement within months. Carmen Capizzuto, director of neighborhood services, said that several firms considered bids but that two complete bids remained and the selected company offered the lowest price that could serve the entire city rapidly. That procurement, council members said, required an automated, once-a-week collection model using 64- and 96-gallon carts to ensure reliable service across the 120-square-mile city.

Residents who addressed the council during the public hearing urged alternatives: comparing Port St. Lucie's rates with neighboring jurisdictions, asking whether a multi-jurisdictional procurement with the county is possible, pressing for vendor performance accountability, and suggesting an option to opt in/out or bring waste to a city drop-off site. Speakers also asked whether a municipal-run collection operation had been analyzed; staff said an in-house option had been studied and would require a substantial capital investment.

Council members said they opposed higher charges but supported the action to avoid service disruptions and to comply with contractual obligations. The council also directed staff to continue pursuing long-term solutions, including future requests for proposals and exploring whether the city could reduce exposure to landfill price changes. The motion passed without recorded roll-call vote counts in the meeting minutes; council members indicated votes by voice.

The assessment covers 168 curbside stops per year (52 garbage, 52 recycling, 52 yard waste and 12 bulk stops). Staff said the city negotiated a separate agreement for yard-waste hauling that reduced that component by roughly $7.70 per household annually.

Council members and staff reiterated they would continue to seek improved service terms before the franchise agreement ends and would study options including competitive rebidding, cooperative procurement, or municipal service. City staff said they would contact residents who raised specific service problems and continue outreach and education about collection rules and holiday schedules.