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Cocoa approves every-other-week routed pickup for yard waste and bulk trash, adds two-year Waste Management extension
Summary
The council voted unanimously to add alternating weekly routed pickups for bulk yard waste and bulk furniture/trash and to extend the Waste Management contract two years, increasing the typical residential monthly charge by about $3.74 beginning Oct. 1.
The Cocoa City Council voted unanimously to add regularly scheduled routed collection for bulk yard waste and bulk trash, and to extend the city's existing franchise agreement with Waste Management by two years.
The council approved option 4, which combines both services on alternating weeks and includes the contract's automatic 3% annual adjustment. Staff estimated the change would raise the typical monthly residential charge by about $3.74 beginning Oct. 1, 2025; Waste Management has also agreed to provide a $7,500 annual community donation that council asked to earmark for public-safety sponsorships and high-school activities.
Why it matters: under the current contract, bulk yard waste service previously operated on a regular schedule but was changed in the 2021 renewal to require residents to call Public Works 72 hours in advance; bulk furniture and other bulk trash have never been a regularly scheduled service. Council members and residents said the call-in system led to missed pickups, long-standing curbside piles, and visible blight.
Staff said a city windshield survey found roughly 260 bulk piles across the four council districts, with 139 located in Districts 1 and 2 and 121 in Districts 3 and 4. Waste Management told council it will dedicate trucks to Cocoa routes five days a week to service the new schedule. Council asked for strong public education, interactive route maps and a local phone contact so residents can speak to staff rather than an automated system.
Council also asked for performance metrics. Waste Management said it produces tonnage reports that can show bulk-collection totals; staff and the company agreed to provide outreach at community events and national night-out activities in October.
Budget and contract details: staff said the FY-2026 budget will require a budget amendment to reflect the additional revenue and expense; the council approved staff authority to make the necessary budgetary adjustments. The new schedule starts Oct. 1, 2025.
Ending: Council members said they will re-evaluate the change after the first year and requested visible education campaigns and community outreach to reduce contaminated or mixed bulk piles.
