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Residents press council over new 96-gallon garbage carts; officials say transition saved money
Summary
Residents and councilmembers discussed the citywide switch to 96-gallon automated carts during audience communications. Speakers criticized cart size, supplier equipment, and appearance; council members said the change followed multiple public meetings and saved tax dollars.
Residents at the council meeting raised complaints about the city’s recent switch to new 96-gallon automated garbage carts, saying the size is excessive, the trucks lacked proper lifting equipment and the rollout reduced choice for households.
Resident Steve King told council he heard many residents preferred 64‑gallon carts as the default and that the city spent about $4 million on carts he said were manufactured in Mexico rather than locally. “I believe 64 should have been the default size,” King said during audience communications, adding that many households had put the large carts out of sight because they consider them “ugly.” He also said haulers (identified in public comments as Priority Waste) did not have equipment to handle the larger carts, which he said resulted in litter during pickup.
Council response: Multiple council members acknowledged the concerns and described the procurement and transition as a multi-meeting process. Councilman Scott Morgan said the city saved tax dollars by shifting to carts and that the change reflects regional trends among haulers: fewer companies remain willing to provide traditional pickup. He noted some trucks have been updated and others are still transitioning to equipment that handles the larger carts. “We did save a considerable amount of money by shifting to the carts,” Morgan said, and urged patience while the vendor and truck fleet adjust.
Context and next steps: Council members said the cart decision followed several public meetings and consideration of vendor capabilities and costs. Residents asked the city to revisit cart size options and to address equipment compatibility and pickup reliability; council members responded that staff would follow up on operational complaints and that some truck fleet updates remain ongoing.
Ending: No formal council action on the carts was recorded at the meeting; matters raised during audience communications were recorded for follow-up by city staff and the relevant departments.
