Waste Management asks Dundee council for 7% rate increase; council and residents press for more bulky-waste events and clearer glass program

Waste Management representatives told the Dundee City Council on an evening meeting that the company is seeking a 7% rate increase for 2025 to cover higher labor, vehicle depreciation and disposal costs and to maintain a target return on revenue.

Dave Huber, Public Sector Manager for Waste Management in Oregon, said the company has served Dundee for about 15 years and provides weekly residential garbage, every-other-week recycling and yard debris collection, and optional subscription glass service. “We offer recycling, yard debris service, and garbage service,” Huber said. Jason Woolley, Waste Management’s district manager, gave operational detail, saying the company now serves about 57 residential accounts and 47 commercial accounts in Dundee and that industrial and business services increased about 17% last year because of vineyard-season needs.

The company’s pricing analyst reported a revenue increase to about $835,000 in 2024 from roughly $730,000 the prior year, and projected a lower return on revenue in 2025 unless rates are adjusted. The company’s representative summarized the request: a 7% adjustment, which would raise the typical 35-gallon residential monthly charge from $24.28 to about $25.97.

Council members and residents asked for more detail about how industrial/harvest volumes affect revenue and whether the proposed increase is comparable to neighboring jurisdictions. A council member pressed the company on why projections appear flat for 2025 despite 2024 revenue growth; the company explained the timing of prior rate adjustments and how partial-year impacts show up in year-to-year comparisons.

Several residents urged Waste Management to resume twice-yearly bulky-waste drop-off events (spring and fall). City staff and Waste Management said the company ran one bulky-waste event in September 2024 — the first in roughly a decade — and that the company is willing to provide additional events but that they carry a cost and must be scheduled around harvest season. Jason Woolley said harvest timing makes scheduling challenging, adding the company is open to alternative dates to increase participation.

Residents also raised concerns about the subscription glass program, saying some customers were auto-enrolled and found it hard to unsubscribe. Waste Management acknowledged the historical rollout enrolled every customer and said participation above roughly 50% keeps subscription rates lower; the company said it will consider more customer outreach and alternative depot-based collection if participation falls.

Council members did not take a final vote on rates during the presentation; they asked staff to include the request in upcoming budget conversations and to return with more detailed breakdowns. No formal council action on the 7% request was recorded at the meeting.

The presentation also touched on upcoming mattress recycling and free drop-off options tied to state recycling programs, an in-person customer-service representative at the local office for walk-ins, and the company’s plans to add two trucks in 2024 to improve efficiency.

The council encouraged Waste Management and city staff to coordinate outreach and scheduling for future bulky-waste events to increase participation and to return with clearer cost and revenue breakdowns before any rate decision.