Willard council presses Republic representatives on broken trash cans, considers city-owned-can model and startup fee
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Summary
Council members and Republic representatives discussed frequent broken lids and poor-quality batches of cans, the company's 10-year warranty standard, and options for city ownership, vendor procurement and a start-up fee; council directed staff to narrow penalty language and schedule a public hearing on revised ordinance amendments.
Willard's City Council spent a substantial portion of its Jan. 22 meeting pressing Republic representatives for solutions after residents reported damaged garbage cans, inconsistent pickup times and missed collections.
Republic municipal manager Ashley Crowley and operations manager Austin Jenkins told the council the company tracks cans by serial number, uses truck-mounted diagnostics and generally expects manufacturers to provide a 10-year warranty. Crowley said some recent batches (rotational-molded cans) have performed poorly in other jurisdictions, while brands such as Schaefer and Toter have been more durable.
Residents and council members gave multiple examples of lids breaking and cans splitting; one resident said newer cans had "no lid" after repeated handling. Austin Jenkins said Republic is adjusting arm speeds and will work with mechanics to reduce impact forces. Crowley offered to help the city procure sturdier bins and to assist with recycling or bulk removal of damaged cans.
Council discussion focused on two procurement models: (1) keep the current arrangement and require the vendor to supply and warranty cans under contract; or (2) have the city own the cans and replace deteriorated units as needed, with Republic performing pickups. Jeremy (city staff) and council members said a city-owned approach could cost the city more upfront but simplify replacement for residents.
To cover initial replacement costs as subdivisions add units, several council members proposed adding a start-up or service-fee charged when service begins for a new residence. The council also debated how to write enforcement language into the draft ordinance: early text cited a broad "any provision" violation with a class B misdemeanor penalty (up to $1,000 fine/6 months), which multiple members said was overly broad and risked criminalizing minor placement errors. Staff and City Attorney Amy advised narrowing the code references to specific prohibited acts (placement, prohibited materials) and considering class C penalties for first offenses.
The council instructed staff to prepare revised ordinance language that (a) narrows the penalty provisions, (b) sets can specifications and warranty handling in the draft, and (c) includes options for an initial fee or other financing to manage an early wave of replacements. Members asked Republic to provide cost and operational options for city-owned cans, bulk purchase pricing and logistics for swapping or storing large numbers of bins. The council asked staff to schedule a public hearing once the draft is updated.
Representative quote: "We do track serial numbers. Every time they take a can out, we need a serial number," Ashley Crowley said, describing Republic's tracking process. One councilmember urged care on penalties: "If it says any of the provisions, I can try and get 76 months in due," the member said, arguing for focused language instead of a sweeping criminal penalty.
Next steps: staff will draft amended ordinance language and cost options and present the revisions at a future meeting with a public hearing on the schedule.