Residents criticize Clearfield Citys opt-out trash-can rollout

Several Clearfield residents told the Clearfield City Council they did not ask for the new curbside trash cans and objected to the city's decision to use an opt-out rollout that adds a fee for households that keep the can.

Resident Alan Millard told the council he was surprised to find a trash can outside his home and said a neighbor had the same experience. "I have to pay to have this removed? That's like going into Walmart and, having to tell them you don't want a product or they're gonna charge you for that product anyway," Millard said.

The complaints continued when Taylor Nielsen said the city recently increased service fees and that the new can adds roughly $10 more per month. "I feel like it's unethical and it's unreasonable that you guys, instead of having an opt in option, to have an opt out?" Nielsen said, adding that some residents who pay bills online never open mailed notices and thus would not have seen information about the program.

Mayor Mark Shepherd responded to the speakers by explaining the city's choice: officials said a landfill requested implementation of a recycling program and that the city considered a mandatory rollout like neighboring cities but opted for an opt-out approach to give residents a chance to refuse the can. "Our other option was to just implement it and bill everybody," Shepherd said. He added that the city mails water bills and uses those mailings and other limited channels to notify residents.

Nielsen said public-works crews told her they heard from residents all day and estimated only about 10% of those contacted wanted the cans. She said she and a neighbor flagged down a public-works truck and were told the department had been flooded with calls.

Councilman Peterson, the city's representative to Wasatch Integrated, offered to talk with the two residents after the meeting to provide more detail and answer questions. He said he was available to meet "out there" after the meeting because state open-meeting rules prevented an extended discussion during the session.

No formal council action or vote on the trash-can program was taken at the meeting. Mayor Shepherd told attendees the council could not take action that night but explained the reasoning behind the opt-out approach.

The exchange leaves several practical questions from residents on notice and billing; council members encouraged residents to raise concerns with city staff and said staff and council representatives would follow up in person after the meeting.