City staff presented a multi-hour review of Clute’s solid-waste operations, laying out four paths forward and asking the council for direction: (1) continue the current, city-run, manual collection model and invest in replacement trucks and staff; (2) move to semi-automated collection with canisters, reducing labor intensity but changing resident service; (3) consolidate and take over commercial dumpster collections to try to turn commercial pickup into a revenue center; or (4) outsource collection to a private contractor and retain only brush/cleanup crews.

The presentation emphasized long-standing pressures: significantly aging collection trucks, relatively low residential rates compared with the cost of replacement equipment, rising landfill tipping fees controlled by private operators, difficulty recruiting and retaining back-of-truck staff, and competition from private haulers that already collect commercial dumpsters in Clute.

Why it matters: solid-waste operations have direct effects on residents’ bills, city staffing, and the level of service (how much the city will collect, bulky-item policies and enforcement). Staff told the council that choices now will determine capital needs (new trucks and containers), employee relocations or layoffs, and customer expectations for years.

Options explained to council

- Option 1 — Status quo (city-run): Continue hand-loaded residential pickup (concierge-level service). Requires capital investment to replace trucks (staff estimated a multi-truck replacement program). Staff modeled the operational cost pressure but said the city would maintain its current high-touch service.

- Option 2 — Semi-automated collection: Move to standardized canisters and mechanical side-loader trucks. This reduces labor demands and long-term operating cost but changes the resident experience (residents must use city-issued canisters) and would require a phased capital rollout.

- Option 3 — City takes over commercial dumpster service: Staff noted several commercial customers moved to private haulers; reclaiming commercial dumpsters could be a revenue source but would require new equipment and trucks capable of picking larger containers and likely a multi-million-dollar capital program.

- Option 4 — Outsource ("nuclear option"): Contract out residential and commercial collection to a private company while retaining the city’s brush crew. Staff noted private companies often offer competitive initial bids but may increase prices over time; staff also said third-party providers typically do not match the city’s current service level and that complaints would still come to city hall.

Rates and modeling

Staff proposed modeling rate increases to show the financial impact of each path. Measures discussed in the workshop include: a baseline modeled residential increase of 15% (raising the monthly residential charge from about $24.24 to roughly $27.71), a break-even residential rate estimated at about $34 per month under the current city-run model, and sensitivity runs at 30–40% to show the capital needed if the city remains the operator and must replace multiple trucks. Staff said a typical regional solid-waste contract averages about $1.5 million per year.

Operational concerns and enforcement

Council and staff discussed illegal dumping, unmetered or unbilled commercial dumpsters, heavy-trash collection for noncity customers, and the difficulty of enforcing existing ordinances; staff reported instances where dumpsters stayed on-site but accounts were not billed. Several council members urged stricter enforcement, more routine audits of dumpster accounts, and charging for heavy-trash pickup when customers use private haulers.

Direction given

Council asked staff to run financial models at several rate points (staff said they would provide scenarios at 15%, 30%, 35% and 40% residential increases) and to return with a phased plan for capital investment, staffing impacts and potential franchise/licensing changes for commercial customers. Near the end of the discussion one council member said there was a consensus in the room to retain the city’s sanitation operation for now; staff will return with the requested financial models.

Ending: staff will provide modeled rate scenarios and capital plans and will present an implementation plan that shows staffing impacts and transition costs for the various options.