Council approves yard-waste disposal contract with private operator to reduce city labor costs

Council members voted to authorize a contract with AllSeasons Landscaping & Construction to operate a yard-waste disposal and composting site in Jefferson City. Staff said the operator would upgrade the site with additional security cameras and lighting, work with the fire department on safety requirements, and deploy an incinerator to process material that cannot otherwise be composted.

City staff argued contracting out the operation reduces a recurring drain on Public Works staff time during peak seasons. As staff explained it, operating the site in-house requires a roughly half-time staff position during peak months plus equipment and ancillary costs; one staff member estimated the city's soft costs around $200,000 and past one-time pickup expenses near $100,000. "We really have allocated a person who's half their time...that is having to manage that yard waste," a city staff member said while explaining the fiscal trade-offs.

The operator will accept residential yard waste (up to 6-inch diameter logs, leaves, twigs) during posted hours (seasonal schedule approximating 41 hours per week) and may sell processed materials such as mulch. Staff said the proposed operator's bid was lower than prior bids and can be implemented quickly because the site has prior use for this purpose. Several council members supported the arrangement as fiscally responsible and said it frees city crews for other maintenance work.

Council adopted Resolution 2026-02 authorizing the city to enter into an agreement with AllSeasons for the yard-waste site; the resolution passed on a roll-call vote.