Council members criticize Priority Waste service; request documentation and contract follow-up

Several St. Clair Shores council members used the May 19 meeting to press city staff for stronger oversight of Priority Waste after weeks of missed and late trash and yard-waste pickups.

Council members and staff described repeated resident complaints about missed collections, long completion times during spring yard cleanup and late-night pickups. Administration reported Priority Waste cited mechanical issues and limited yard-waste truck coverage and said the company had recently worked through a compost-facility routing issue, which staff said should improve turnaround time.

During an extended discussion Councilwoman Rusey criticized the company’s recurring service problems and said she was “tired of making excuses for the residents paying the bills,” urging administration to seek contractual relief and better documentation from the vendor. Councilmembers asked staff to request Priority Waste dump tickets and documented routing/dump locations for recycling and yard-waste trucks so the city can verify where materials are taken and whether the company is using the declared facilities.

City staff confirmed they have been receiving end-of-day reports from Priority and will forward final bid/project cost notices and other requested documentation to council as items are awarded. Council members noted the contract with Priority Waste expires June 30, 2026, and said the city should plan for enforcement and renewal discussions.

No formal enforcement action or contract termination was taken at the meeting; council members instructed staff to collect documentation, improve communications with residents, and continue to press the contractor for reliable performance.