Council approves higher curbside fee, discusses ending recycling and authorizes bond for demo garbage truck

London City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance raising the city's curbside-assistance fee from $3 to $12 and moved forward with financing to buy a replacement garbage truck after lengthy public comment and a department briefing on equipment and staffing needs.

The discussion centered on maintenance and reliability of the city's sanitation fleet, whether to continue the city's curbside recycling program and how best to pay for an immediate equipment need. Council approved Resolution 166-25 to issue bonds "not to exceed $400,000" to acquire a demo garbage truck that staff said could be put into service in weeks, and adopted Ordinance 155-25 to raise the curbside-assistance fee.

Why it matters: Council members and residents said failing trucks and high outside maintenance costs have put the service at risk and that city staff are weighing whether to keep sanitation in-house, buy replacement equipment now or begin a privatization process that could take six months to a year. The decisions affect weekly trash service, recycling availability and sanitation department staffing and operating budgets.

Rex Castle, the city's safety service director who led the department briefing, told council the city has repeatedly lost trucks…