Burleson staff recommends switch to once‑weekly pickup with 95‑gallon carts; council asks for contract amendments

Burleson — City staff presented options to change the city’s residential and commercial solid‑waste service, recommending once‑weekly trash collection in 95‑gallon carts and a closed commercial market, and asked the council to direct staff to return with a draft contract amendment.

The recommendation, presented by Richard Abernathy, administrative services director, offered three residential options: keep current twice‑weekly bag or cart pickup; move to a twice‑weekly 95‑gallon cart; or move to once‑weekly collection using a 95‑gallon cart paired with a 95‑gallon recycling cart. Staff recommended the third option and proposed adding a household hazardous waste curbside pick‑up billed at $1 per household per month.

That option, staff said, would reduce the Waste Connections base charge to about $13 per household before city administrative and franchise fees; after adding the city’s overhead, the estimated resident bill would be about $16.70 per month under a closed commercial market. Staff recommended a $7 monthly charge for an extra cart, a 5% cap on annual contract price increases, and penalties for service lapses.

Why it matters: staff framed the change as a way to lower per‑household cost while maintaining service…