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Claremore council amends garbage ordinance to allow contracting of commercial collection
Summary
Council approved Ordinance 2024-9 amending Chapter 51 to permit the city to contract commercial garbage collection to third parties while keeping residential services in-house; staff said the commercial setup currently costs roughly $1,000,000 annually.
The Claremore City Council voted to approve Ordinance 2024-9, which amends Chapter 51 of the city code to permit the city to contract out commercial garbage services to third-party providers while retaining residential collection under city operations.
Mr. Davis presented the ordinance, saying the change is a language adjustment recommended by the city attorney and is intended to allow staff to evaluate contracting options for commercial accounts. "This item is a simple adjustment to the ordinance language," Davis said, noting the city is focusing on commercial service because the residential side is currently efficient and largely staffed. He told the council the city spends approximately $1,000,000 per year to maintain the commercial collection setup and that commercial trucks are more expensive to operate and more prone to breakdowns.
Davis said staff plans to run an RFP and select a contractor through a formal procurement process. He emphasized the need to ensure a responsible contractor is chosen and noted that outsourcing is not a foregone conclusion: "It doesn't mean that we go that way. We could very well come back and nothing's feasible too," he said.
Council asked for budget estimates and assurances that a transparent RFP and vendor-responsibility process would be used. Davis said staff can provide estimated budgets and comparisons of current costs vs. proposed contracting once analysis is complete.
The council moved, seconded, and approved the ordinance by roll call. Staff will return with an RFP timeline, cost estimates, and recommendations for procurement protections if they proceed to outsource commercial service.
