Committee denies request to expand city bulk pickup; staff to boost outreach and evaluate services

The Improvement Services Committee on Wednesday, July 30, voted to deny a request from Alderman Ben Tully to expand the city’s curbside bulk-item pickup and yard-waste program.

Committee members heard a presentation from Public Works staff that, as summarized in the meeting packet, “we offer 2 annual curbside bulk trash collection weeks” and that during those weeks the city collects large items “up to 2 cubic yards” at no charge. The staff summary also said past estimates put the cost of the two free weeks at approximately $78,000 and reported collection data as "around 110 100 tons of bulk waste per week." Staff recommended no immediate program change and said it is planning a broader program evaluation next year if funding can be secured.

The motion to deny was made by Elder Eck and seconded by Elder De Lee; the chair called for the ayes and the motion failed to carry, recorded on the meeting record as denied. During debate, the committee and staff distinguished two parts of the request: (1) adding or changing curbside service days and (2) improving communication about existing services and drop-off options. Public Works staff described current options: two annual free curbside bulk weeks, a paid pickup service used by 35 customers in 2024 that generated $114,006.35 in revenue, and public drop-off sites. Staff also said residents may use the Brown County Transfer Station for disposal at a lower rate than the city’s paid curbside option, and that the city maintains two yard-waste drop-off sites at 1470 Herblood Street and 2530 East Shore Drive.

Committee members who supported denial cited cost and low take-up. Elder Eck said, “I would like to make a motion to deny the request. Sorry. I don't think that it's worth the amount of money that it will cost.” Other members agreed the budget impact would be disproportionate to expected use. Several members and a resident urged better outreach instead of adding service days: one committee member asked staff to forward printed rack cards and social media posts to Green Bay Neighborhoods so neighborhood groups could include the information in their newsletters. Public Works staff said they plan two social media posts (one in August, one in September) and to create rack cards summarizing yard-waste and bulk-waste rules for distribution and events.

Staff said operational constraints also weigh against adding service: the bulk program is labor- and equipment-intensive, requiring 12 employees, six rear-loader trucks, one front-end loader and three dump trucks, and the department is short on trucks. Staff added that some separation of recyclable metal occurs at the transfer yard and that residual bulk waste is sent to the landfill at $54 per ton this year (projected $57 per ton next year). The staff presentation noted that street-collected bulk items may be routed directly to the transfer station and therefore may not pass through the city yard’s metal-sorting bunker.

The committee’s vote denied the request to expand curbside service but did not stop staff from proceeding with the communication materials and the planned program evaluation. Staff characterized those outreach steps as “receive and place on file” items that will continue regardless of the denial. No ordinance, fee change or additional budget appropriation was approved at the meeting; the denial was a floor motion recorded by the committee and will be reported to the full council for final action on Aug. 5.

The committee is scheduled to meet next on Aug. 13; items from this meeting will go to the full council on Aug. 5 for final votes.