Kent resident urges automatic credits after missed Republic Services pickups

Tim Brown, a Kent resident and business owner, told the City Council on Aug. 5 that missed waste pickups tied to labor disputes in other parts of the country left local dumpsters overflowing and businesses bearing cleanup costs.

Brown described specific business impacts and asked the council to require automatic credits and contingency plans in the city’s contract with Republic Services. “We need to get an automatic credit,” Brown said, recounting examples of dumpsters that filled to “a dumpster and a half high” and a business that rented a trailer and hauled waste to the landfill at its own expense.

The comment came during the public comment portion of a special council meeting. Mayor Dana Ralph responded that city staff were already in discussions with Republic Services about credits. “Our team is in conversation regarding credits with Republic, so stay tuned,” the mayor said and added that the city is “working through a process.”

Brown said current arrangements leave businesses and property managers with limited options when pickup is canceled for reasons other than inclement weather, and asked council to consider contract changes that would guarantee credits and contingency plans for strikes or work stoppages. He said customers and property owners incur costs — time, labor and rental fees — to remove excess trash during prolonged service interruptions.

No formal action was taken at the meeting; the matter was recorded as public comment and staff noted they were pursuing discussions with the contractor. If the council wishes to pursue contract changes it would require staff analysis and a formal agenda item in a future meeting.

Background: Republic Services is the city’s contracted waste hauler; the speaker said missed service recently lasted about two weeks for some customers. The council did not discuss specific contract language or a replacement provider at the meeting.