Council reopens citywide trash contract debate; asks staff for engagement plan and to consider 2‑year notice

The Lee's Summit City Council on March 3 directed staff to return with a public engagement plan and laid groundwork for restarting the multi-year process to consider moving residential solid-waste collection from a subscription model (residents choose haulers) to a contract model (city-contracted hauler(s)).

Michael Park, director of public works, reviewed the city’s history with contract hauling and a multi-year effort that produced an RFP cycle a decade ago. Park said the drivers have shifted: the city’s landfill is closed, recycling participation remains low and residents increasingly complain about litter and road damage from many haulers. He noted that roughly two-thirds of comparable municipalities use some form of contract service.

Park told the council that the previous process produced a detailed set of recommendations — zones, container options and billing approaches — but that legal challenges and an injunction halted implementation in the prior cycle. He presented a list of potential benefits (possible household cost reductions in peer cities, more consistent service, a projected $1 million annual savings in pavement management from fewer heavy-hauler trips) and concerns (reduced choice for residents, risk to small local haulers, need for increased city contract oversight and customer-service resources).

Council members asked about practical points: how a contract would treat HOAs, whether the city could require covered loads, options for zoning the contract into multiple zones to provide opportunities for smaller haulers, and what enforcement tools would exist for poor performance. Park and Mark Downing, the city manager, said those topics would be part of the scope and public engagement and that some contract administration resources (likely a small number of staff) would be needed if billing remained a hauler responsibility.

Several council members expressed support for restarting the process. Councilmember Carlisle argued that issuing the statutory two‑year notice is the best way to prompt public engagement: “Starting the two‑year clock gets engagement going,” she said. Councilmember Pryor and others asked for wide outreach, including mailed surveys and HOA outreach. Councilmember Lopez said she supported issuing the notice but asked that staff leverage prior work so the public conversation can begin sooner rather than starting from scratch.

Park summarized options for the council to consider at a future meeting: 1) issue the two‑year notice to haulers and run a public engagement program during the notice period; 2) convene a new or refreshed stakeholder task force (including residents, haulers, HOAs, chamber and other partners) to refine the RFP and scope before issuing notice; or 3) maintain subscription services and pursue targeted measures such as covered-load enforcement, debris-response contracts and targeted education. City staff recommended bringing an engagement plan back to council for approval and then a subsequent vote on issuing the two‑year notice.

Council consensus: staff should prepare and return with a public engagement plan and schedule; council indicated general openness to issuing the two‑year notice as part of that process but asked staff to present a recommended engagement schedule and decision points before the formal notice. Park and staff will also bring back key performance indicators so the council can measure success if it moves to a contract model.

Why it matters: Moving to a contracted residential trash model could change who provides service across neighborhoods, alter monthly costs for residents, reduce truck traffic on local streets and enable citywide standards for covered loads and recycling. The process is lengthy and legally constrained — a statutory two‑year notice is required — and it has generated strong opposition in past cycles from haulers and some residents.

Next steps: staff to produce an engagement plan, return with timelines and a recommendation on issuing the two‑year notice; council indicated it wants KPI proposals and options for HOA treatment, zoned-contract approaches, and debris-management language to be included in future scope documents.