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Providence launches city-run garbage service; council hears financial savings and operations report
Summary
Providence council celebrated the launch of the city's new waste-management service, heard cost and savings estimates from staff and contractor representatives, and received acknowledgement of operational performance after seven months of service.
Providence City staff and the City Council on Dec. 18 highlighted the city's newly launched waste-management operation and its early financial performance.
City Manager Ryan reported the city purchased six garbage trucks and said residents are expected to save an estimated $4.57 per month per household compared with the consortium rate. "If we take that by the number of cans, we save residents $67,000 a year," Ryan told the council, adding the five-year savings compared with the consortium contract was described in the meeting as about $870,000.
The council heard that Providence contracted local haulers and that the city absorbed initial startup costs by borrowing from internal funds. Ryan said the landfill and recycling contractors are raising fees: green-waste fees were called out as increasing to $25 per ton and solid waste rates rising in stages from $34 to $36 and eventually to $40 per ton.
Keaton, representing Clean Slate (the city's hauling partner), told the council the private contractor team and Providence staff have worked closely on implementation. "We really value our relationship with you guys," Keaton said.
Ryan said the city is on pace to cover startup costs within several years and that staff added routes and customer service functions without hiring additional public-works employees. He said the program has continued to enroll residents: "we have over 1,800 active subscribers," Ryan said.
Council members praised the public-works team and Ryan for managing the transition. The mayor and council presented commemorative plaques to staff and contractor representatives during the awards portion of the meeting.
The council did not take separate formal action on the item at the meeting; the discussion was informational and celebratory and focused on operations, resident savings, and upcoming rate pressures tied to landfill fees.
