Atlanta public works seeks $17.8 million net increase for FY 2026, plans new trucks, Big Belly bins and tech upgrades

Interim commissioner Kintore Garment for the Department of Public Works told the Atlanta City Council Finance Committee on Oct. 11 that DPW's FY 2026 general fund budget request rises primarily because of pension and compensation increases and will fund new fleet purchases, ongoing telematics and command‑center operations, and continued anti‑dumping efforts.

"The mission of our department is to enhance quality of life by providing environmentally safe protections for the welfare of all citizens," Garment said, describing DPW initiatives including optimized routes, AI-assisted detection of illegal dumping and a centralized fleet command center.

DPW presented the committee with program and budget details that show an overall department budget increase of about $17,799,000 for FY 2026. The department said the general‑fund portion is roughly $24,000,000 and that a key driver of the increase is pension rate changes (from 6% to 8%) and phased compensation study increases. DPW told the committee it plans to add 22 new units (including 18 garbage trucks and knuckle‑boom vehicles) to modernize aging equipment and expects procurement and delivery lead times of roughly six months or longer.

Why it matters: DPW operates core services—solid waste collection, special services (street sweeping, right‑of‑way mowing, removal of dumped material) and fleet operations that support APD and Atlanta Fire and Rescue. Equipment purchases and technology investments affect daily service reliability and long‑term maintenance costs for thousands of city stops and public receptacles.

Key details and performance data

- Positions and staffing: DPW reported 761 allocated full‑time equivalent (FTE) positions with 625 filled at the time of the presentation; the department said 46 positions were listed as "approved and essential but not funded." DPW described an ongoing effort to reassign or abolish unfunded vacancies through the personnel‑paper process. Garment said vacancies had been reduced through recent hiring campaigns but acknowledged a continuing vacancy rate in some frontline areas.

- Budget drivers: DPW said the $17.8 million net increase is primarily compensation and pension costs. For solid waste, the department cited a $3.9 million variance driven largely by phase‑2 compensation and pension changes; the pension change alone was cited as roughly $2.4 million. Fleet services showed a $9.7 million increase, including higher repair and commercial repair contract costs, fuel site upgrades and a grant match for a clean heavy‑duty vehicles program.

- Equipment and capital plans: The department described a vehicle replacement plan (phase 2) and a fleet rideshare program to centralize pool vehicle management. DPW said it would procure 22 units (including 18 garbage trucks and knuckle booms) and install 103 Big Belly solar trash receptacles along the MLK Corridor that compact waste and send fill notifications.

- Technology and command center: DPW emphasized expanded use of telematics and logistics software (previously referred to as Rubicon, now Rapware), a centralized fleet command center at Claire Drive and AI tools mounted on trucks to detect illegal dumping and litter. The department attributed improved route optimization and cost avoidance—$1.5 million—partly to reduced reliance on supplemental labor.

- Service metrics: DPW presented quarterly operational figures: more than 1,000,000 curbside stops for garbage, recycling and yard trimmings with a 99.5% collection success rate for the quarter; more than 5,000 new cart requests completed; more than 9,000 backdoor collection stops at a 99% success rate; over 70,000 public receptacle stops; about 29,000 fleet labor hours supporting APD, Atlanta Fire and Rescue and Department of Watershed vehicles; 55 community clean events with roughly 700 volunteers covering 48 miles and removing about 23 tons of litter; nearly 1,200 illegal‑dumping sites addressed; and street sweepers covering over 10,000 miles.

Council reaction and operational concerns

Vice Chair Alex Wan pressed DPW on service reliability, noting constituent reports of missed pickups and delayed right‑of‑way mowing. Wan asked how the department could justify budgeted cuts to outside contract services while still improving on‑time performance. Garment and deputies pointed to the command center, route telematics and plans to add vehicles and crews as the tools to improve responsiveness; DC Robertson/Robinson (deputy commissioners) said more vehicles launching from locations such as Maddox Park would increase operational capacity.

Councilmember Overstreet praised DPW's community work and asked about the 47‑position request referenced in the budget book; DPW staff and the senior finance director said the FY 2026 request showed no net new funded positions, that many vacancies were legacy authorized but unfunded roles, and that a personnel paper would address abolishing unfunded positions where appropriate.

Councilmembers also questioned overtime levels. DPW said overtime remains necessary for weather events, major special events and unplanned incidents (water main breaks, mass events) and that controls were in place requiring preapproval for overtime, with sign‑offs tracked in DocuSign.

What the department is asking the council to approve

- Acceptance of the FY 2026 budget package that includes increased personnel costs largely attributable to pension and compensation adjustments. - Funding for a fleet vehicle replacement program with immediate procurement of multiple collection trucks and special‑services equipment. - Installation of phase‑2 Big Belly receptacles along the MLK Corridor and continued roll‑out of telematics and AI tools for illegal‑dumping enforcement and route optimization.

Discussion vs. decision

Discussion: Committee members discussed service reliability, vacancy accounting, overtime drivers and the balance between contracting and in‑house labor. Direction: DPW said it would provide more granular headcount and funded/unfunded position breakdowns and work with council offices on site visits for proposed receptacle placements. Formal action: No vote or formal committee motion was recorded during the presentation.

Implementation risks and timeline

DPW acknowledged implementation risks tied to procurement lead times (vehicle delivery estimated at six months or more), grant match requirements for some fleet purchases and the need to finalize a contract for Big Belly maintenance and placement. The department described mitigations—command‑center analytics, vehicle standardization plans to reduce repair complexity and partnerships with technical colleges for mechanic recruitment.

Ending

DPW closed by reiterating its operational performance metrics and asking the committee for support of the FY 2026 package to sustain recent gains in service delivery, fleet reliability and anti‑dumping enforcement. The department said staffing and personnel‑paper adjustments would be forwarded to the council as part of the budget and personnel‑paper processes.