Residents press Oakland on missed recycling pickups; town outlines reporting, verification process

Residents at the Town of Oakland’s Jan. 13 commission meeting pressed the town over missed recycling and trash pickups in Johns Landing, and town staff explained how to report problems and how the town verifies contractor performance.

At public comment, Anne Fulton described multiple instances when crews collected one bin, left loose boxes on the curb and did not return for items placed beside containers. "They've been driving up, picking up 1 bin, dumping it. If it falls off, tough crack," Fulton said. She said she had tried contacting the contractor and did not receive a response.

Town staff (Janelle) responded that the contract allows Waste Pro to complete daily service between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and that automated routes sometimes require a manual follow-up pass the next day when trucks are full. Staff advised residents to file complaints first through Waste Pro’s Oakland-specific web form so the company’s systems (including truck-mounted cameras and barcode tracking) can be checked. "If it doesn't get resolved, then letting us know," Janelle said, adding that town staff will follow up and that Scott (town staff) will verify missed pickups to support any enforcement or fines.

Officials said the town’s ability to hold the contractor accountable depends on town verification of missed service; staff urged residents to report incidents promptly so Scott can inspect and document the situation.

No formal policy change was made at the meeting; staff directed residents to the reporting process and committed to follow up when Waste Pro does not resolve issues.