Monroe council asks Republic Services for answers, opens RFP after weeks of missed trash pickups

Monroe, Wash. — The Monroe City Council voted 7-0 July 22 to direct the mayor and staff to begin a request-for-proposals process for solid-waste collection after repeated missed trash pickups in July and a chaotic community drop-off event the city hosted.

Council members said the immediate problem was missed residential service the weeks of July 7 and July 14, followed by a municipal drop-off event the city organized and said was fully funded by Republic Services. Public works Director Roberts told the council the city’s current agreement with Republic was signed in 2017, is on a rolling three-year renewal cycle and had most recently been renewed in 2024.

Why it matters: Council members said residents paid for a service they did not receive, suffered inconvenience and health concerns, and the city’s staff and police devoted time and resources to an emergency response. Council members pressed for both resident relief and accountability from the contractor.

Council discussion: Councilmember Scarborough described long lines at the drop-off and said the primary harm was the uncertainty: “It was the inconvenience of not knowing that is more annoying than having to pay the bill.” Councilmember…