Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Service topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Marlboro County approves Waste Connections contract after residents raise late-pickup concerns
Summary
The council approved a five-year, guaranteed-rate contract with Waste Connections after residents and a county representative raised repeated late pickups and demanded clearer company-county communication; a public meeting on service and rates is set for May 13.
The Marlboro County Council voted to approve a five-year contract with Waste Connections after a wide-ranging discussion about repeated late pickups and communication with residents.
Sam Arms, senior site manager for Waste Connections, told the council he and local staff have been addressing problems in the Wallace area after recent days with multiple truck breakdowns. Arms said the company is performing major repairs, has run a job fair to hire and train backup drivers, and has ordered new custom trucks expected to arrive by late summer, though he could not give firm delivery dates.
Miss Lawson, who said she represents District 4, told the council the company had been late 13 times in her area and that some pickups have been delayed by as much as two days. "We have gone two days late. Our pickup day is on Wednesday," she said, asking what resident-facing alerts and company notifications would be used when delays occur.
Arms said Waste Connections has an alert capability and will work with county staff to exercise it more regularly; he also said the company will prepare literature explaining dumpster and rolloff rules and distribution options for residents. He described a "help route"—a driver and truck that can be floated in on Thursdays—to reduce the chance of Friday spillover when earlier-week delays occur.
During discussion, the council set a public meeting on Waste Connections service and rates for May 13 at 6 p.m. at the Wade H. Prince Recreation Center in Blenham and said notices would be posted countywide to gather resident input.
A council member moved to accept the Waste Connections contract; the motion was seconded and the chair announced the motion carried with "one opposed." The transcript does not include an exact yes/no tally.
The county will hold further public meetings on the contract and service details; council members said they will continue to press for clear communication protocols and for the county to seek ways to keep rates affordable for residents.
