Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port St. Lucie scales back Cameo drop-off; residents raise access, ID concerns
Summary
At the June 9 City Council meeting a resident urged the city to reconsider limits at the Cameo drop-off site after the city announced reduced service; council members said the site was intended as temporary and that the city subsidized it from the general fund.
Port St. Lucie City Council on June 9 heard a public comment urging the city to reverse or alter new limits on the Cameo drop-off site after staff told residents the site will no longer accept certain materials as before and will limit visits.
The resident, who identified himself as Mr. Cantor, told the council he uses the Cameo site “probably 5 or 6 times a month” for yard waste and construction debris and asked the city to allow proof of residency by utility bill in addition to a driver’s license so homeowners aren’t treated like contractors.
The request drew responses from council members who said the Cameo location was always intended as a temporary facility and that keeping it open at prior service levels was costing the city. Mayor Shannon M. Martin explained the financial trade-offs: “there is a special assessment, non ad valorem assessment, that is for your solid waste collection...the Cameo site costs additional funds, through our general fund that we have to pay for to subsidize the Cameo site...we're subsidizing from the general fund.”
Council members said once-a-week curb collection of yard waste will continue under the city’s contract and that the reduction of Cameo services is part of efforts to lower the general-fund subsidy. Vice Mayor Caraballo and other members said the city is working on alternatives, including expanding curbside services and broader discussions about the future of solid waste service.
Council members asked staff to provide a direct response to Mr. Cantor’s specific proposal about accepting utility bills for residency verification and to continue exploring ways to reduce reliance on the temporary Cameo site while protecting residents who depend on it.
The council did not adopt a new, written policy during the meeting; instead members described ongoing conversations about solid waste service levels, cost savings and the long-term plan to phase out the Cameo drop-off location.
Why this matters: The change affects residents who use the drop-off for yard debris and small construction waste, and the council framed the reduction as a cost-saving step to reduce a roughly $3,000,000 annual subsidy tied to the facility.
