Rowlett officials, residents press Republic Services on inconsistent trash and bulky-waste pickup; staff to clarify contract day and boost outreach

Residents and city officials pressed Republic Services and Rowlett staff on inconsistent residential trash and bulky‑waste pickup during the April 8 Rowlett City Council work session, saying missed pickups and lingering bulk trash have left neighborhoods littered and frustrated customers calling city staff rather than the contractor.

The complaints came during citizen input, when multiple residents described weeks of missed pickups and long waits on hold to report problems. “We never know whether we're going to be missed or not,” said Pat Karakostas, a Rowlett resident, describing repeated late or incomplete collections and a vendor phone line she said was out of service for weeks. Curtis Smith said the contract is between the city and Republic Services and urged the city to enforce it after his trash was missed multiple times. Robert Van Blumenthal and Christy Cabaniss said bulk debris and mattresses are accumulating in multiple neighborhoods and harming property appearance.

Why it matters: Council members said the complaints show a breakdown in the new monthly bulky‑waste schedule…