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Ames staff recommend citywide curbside recycling contract, RFP and $20,000 multifamily pilot
Summary
City staff recommended a citywide curbside recycling contract (option A) to boost diversion as Ames transitions away from waste-to-energy; staff proposed an RFP, a July 2026 rollout target, and a $20,000 multifamily pilot request. Local haulers urged selection criteria beyond price.
Justin (city staff) and Nolan Sagan, Ames' sustainability coordinator, told the council staff recommends a citywide single-provider curbside recycling program to ensure consistent rules, measurable diversion and lower per-household fees than a purely opt-in model. "It was overwhelmingly supportive of a curbside recycling program," Sagan said of the September survey results.
Staff laid out five decision points: level of access (staff recommended universal distribution of carts and a community-wide charge), provider structure (a citywide contract rather than requiring existing haulers to offer service), cart ownership options, frequency of service (biweekly recommended) and cart size. Staff favored contracting so that the contractor shoulders initial cart capital costs; staff estimated contractor procurement could add about $1 per household per month over a five-year contract, while city-procured carts would require roughly $1,000,000 in up-front capital.
Councilors asked about enforcement, multifamily housing, data sources and engagement with local haulers. Staff said the RFP process would allow evaluation of qualifications as well as price and that the city could include selection criteria beyond cost. Thor Nelson, executive vice president of Aspen Waste Systems, one of the local haulers that offer recycling, asked the council to include qualitative criteria to avoid an outside company that could "lowball a bid." Caitlin Lian, representing the Ames Climate Action Team, urged the council to favor a single-hauler citywide approach to reduce emissions and truck trips.
Staff requested $20,000 from the council priorities fund for a multifamily recycling pilot to identify practical solutions for properties with five or more units. Proposed timeline: prepare an RFP and return with a recommended contract award by January, adopt any necessary ordinance, and target a community rollout by July 2026.
What happens next: Council signaled support for issuing an RFP that evaluates both qualifications and price, and staff will return with a recommended contract award and the proposed multifamily pilot details.
