Pittsfield council presses commissioner and Casella over repeated trash-route failures

The Pittsfield City Council on Feb. 10 debated repeated failures in the city’s trash collection service and accepted a petition asking the Commissioner of Public Services for a report and a preventive plan.

Councilor Kavey said residents have “started to lose faith in our trash system” after “3 to 4 months of continuous interruptions,” and asked the commissioner how the department will ensure Casella, the contractor, meets its obligations.

The Commissioner of Public Services (name not specified) told the council the city is “managing Casella as best we can,” and described problems the city has inferred from Casella’s responses: poor internal communication, failure to verify routes after shift or route changes, staffing shortages and mechanical failures. The commissioner said Casella did not always provide a clear explanation for missed pickups and that the city has pressed the contractor to improve equipment, route verification and tracking.

Councilors described multiple specific failures. Councilor Conant said she learned that Casella staff were unaware of a contractual requirement to return within 24 hours after a missed pickup; she told the council she had to drive to a missed street and that Casella did not notify the full city staff. “When I called Steve on Saturday … he didn’t know that was even in their contract,” Conant said, describing a conversation with a Casella representative.

Officials said the transfer station is only partially open and that promised reopening timelines have slipped. The commissioner acknowledged the transfer station is accepting trash and recycling but not the broader range of materials that had been expected.

Councilors pressed for accountability and potential contract remedies. Councilor Warren noted that while the contract requires pickups within 24 hours (including Saturdays), the city lacks a simple, enforceable liquidated-damages clause for each missed route. Warren urged adding monetary incentives or penalties so the city can enforce timely performance without prolonged litigation.

Councilors and staff described several operational fixes under discussion or already implemented: issuing “OOP” (oops) stickers to document improper setouts, deploying a dedicated dispatcher to track routes and service interruptions, requiring Casella to equip trucks for tougher winter conditions and to use GPS and an app for resident communication. The commissioner said drivers began using OOP stickers in November and that the city receives reports of stickers left at properties.

Councilors asked how backyard pickups and increased backyard pickup demand will be tracked; the commissioner said backyard pickups have roughly tripled, placing additional strain on operations.

After extensive discussion, the council voted unanimously to accept the petition from Councilors Conant, Kavey and Lampiase asking the Commissioner of Public Services for a report on trash collection issues and a preventive plan, and to place that communication on file.

The council directed continued oversight and expects further updates to the council as the department and Casella implement corrective steps.