Syracuse DPW reports OCCRA tipping fee rise, new online bulky-item scheduler and explains snowplow priorities

Anne Fordock, First Deputy Commissioner of the Syracuse Department of Public Works, presented multiple operational items including an annual agreement with OCCRA, a new resident-facing platform for bulky-item pickup scheduling, and extensive Q&A on snowplow operations.

On the OCCRA contract, Fordock said the tipping fee will increase (she described a $66 increase and noted recycling tipping fees remain unchanged) and that the city disposes roughly 33,000–35,000 tons of trash annually. For bulky-item scheduling, she said the city currently relies on CityLine staff to enter requests behind the scenes; the proposed platform would let residents self-schedule up to four bulky pickups per year from the website, display trash/recycling/yard-waste days, and push bulk-stop notifications to drivers’ tablets so crews see scheduled bulk stops in real time. Fordock said telephone scheduling would remain available for less tech-savvy residents.

Councilors raised many service questions, including how bulk pickups are routed, the creation of separate bulk routes when staffing permits, and how the platform integrates with existing route data. On snow operations, Fordock explained that emergency and hill routes receive priority while neighborhoods are last; continuous storms often require repeat passes and equipment breakdowns during storms can reduce capacity. She said the city is purchasing new plows annually to maintain the fleet but could not confirm the total number of trucks in service on the day in question.

The presentation included grateful comments from councilors and constituent reports of unplowed streets. No formal vote on the DPW items is recorded in the transcript.