Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Village reviews options after bulk leaf pickup failures and contractor problems
Summary
Priority Waste experienced equipment and staffing failures during the October–November leaf pickup, leading to missed service days and snow complicating collection; council asked staff to evaluate alternatives including new contractors, leasing/purchasing vacuum equipment or ending the municipal service, and to include options in next year’s budget discussions.
Staff told council the village’s bulk leaf pickup season suffered multiple failures by the contracted company (Priority Waste): trucks broke down and crew shortages caused several missed collection days during the program window. Staff said that because the missed days delayed completion past Thanksgiving, subsequent snowfall made pickup infeasible in many neighborhoods.
Council discussed four broad alternatives: maintain the status quo and give the contractor another chance; issue an RFP for a different contractor; lease or purchase dedicated leaf‑vacuum equipment (capital and operational costs, storage and increased staffing would be substantial); or terminate the municipal bulk pickup and make leaf disposal the residents’ responsibility (bagging or private contractors). Staff noted equipment purchase would require storage space and additional crew time and that shared or fractional ownership with neighboring communities poses scheduling conflicts.
Council directed staff to study options and prepare recommendations during the budget process. Separately, council asked the administrator to examine the yard‑waste ordinance and return with proposed verbiage to allow residents to place bagged yard waste at the property line during November without citation.
What happens next: staff will prepare a cost/operational analysis of alternatives for council during goal‑setting and budget meetings and will draft suggested ordinance or contract language about November curbside bagging for future adoption.
