DeSoto outlines quadrant pilot, extra‑cart fee and outreach plan for brush and bulk collection

DeSoto city staff proposed major changes to the city’s bulk and brush collection program on Aug. 18, unveiling a quadrant‑based schedule, a pilot program and new outreach plans.

Deputy City Manager Isom Cameron told the City Council the city would move “instead of having to call in for monthly brush and bulk” to a system that divides DeSoto into four quadrants, with each quadrant assigned a designated week every month for brush and bulk pickup. Cameron said the change is intended to remove sporadic, neighborhood‑by‑neighborhood pickups and make routing more efficient.

Cameron said the pilot will run Sept. 1 through the end of November, with staff scheduling town halls from October through December and aiming for a citywide implementation on Jan. 1 (the city manager later referred to a January 2026 transition). He said the pilot area is the centrally located “week 2” quadrant and that residents there received mailed notices on Aug. 13; a community meeting for the pilot area was set for Aug. 23.

Under the proposal, an on‑call option would remain for move‑outs or emergency set‑outs but would carry a fee. Cameron said the vendor, Republic, can provide additional 95‑gallon trash carts for residents at a proposed rate — “we’re looking at a pass potentially $8.50 per month” — and said recycling carts would not be available for purchase as extras.

Council members pressed staff on outreach and operational details. Councilmember Parett Parker asked for the exact letter sent to pilot residents so council members can help drive turnout and requested a virtual town hall option for residents who cannot attend the in‑person meeting. Mayor Rachel Proctor suggested a standalone web map or address lookup so residents can confirm whether they are inside the pilot boundary.

City Manager Majid Del Gaffrey said the pilot is the beginning of an “elaborate public information program” and flagged a continuing engagement period through December. He also said the city could use utility‑billing lists for targeted phone outreach but cautioned that mass‑notification systems such as Everbridge are typically reserved for emergencies.

Council raised concerns about service backlogs and the possibility that the contractor might later try to pass costs to the city or residents. Cameron said the contract includes out‑clauses for nonperformance, that liability and cost discussions are part of procurement and monitoring, and that staff will continue to track backlog timelines and contractor performance.

Other operational proposals in the presentation included creating a solid‑waste coordinator position to manage communications among Republic, residents and city departments (including code enforcement), adding a second street‑sweeper position and working with GIS to notify households in each quadrant. Staff also said they will explore integrating Republic’s app, deploy two dynamic message signs in the pilot neighborhood and provide translated materials for Spanish‑speaking residents.

What’s next: staff will conduct the pilot Sept. 1–end of November, hold local town halls and return with implementation updates; citywide roll‑out is targeted for January (staff used both “Jan. 1” and “January 2026” when describing the timeline).