City administrator says Waste Management proposes $3.38 monthly increase; recycling survey planned

City Administrator Tim reported to the Lansing City Council that Waste Management has proposed a $3.38‑per‑month increase in residential collection fees. Staff will solicit resident feedback via an online survey and an e‑blast asking whether recycling frequency should change; staff said switching to every‑other‑week recycling could lower the increase to about $1.18 per month, according to their estimates.

Tim told council members that he believed the contract length is three years but prefaced the statement as an off‑the‑top recollection; the contract term and inflation adjustments will be confirmed in staff materials and reported back to the council. He also noted a practical consideration: changing waste providers last time would have required replacing thousands of existing trash and recycling receptacles, an unbudgeted cost the city weighed during previous bid processes.

On city finances, Tim reported improved interest earnings after a bank change: the general fund earned about $40,000 in interest the previous year and about $239,000 this year after changing how idle funds are reinvested with the new bank, Country Club Bank. He said fiscal‑year closing is imminent and staff will present finalized carryover and budget details once numbers are complete.

Council members and staff discussed logistics for resident outreach, the vendor‑switch costs of replacing containers, and customer support issues with the Waste Management app. No formal action on the waste contract or rates was recorded during the meeting; staff will report back with survey results and contract specifics.