Greendale council moves to schedule hearings on sanitation‑rate increases after fleet failures

Greendale — City staff told the council on April 8 that repeated sanitation-truck breakdowns have left the department short on reliable equipment and recommended a staged rate increase to fund replacements and build a vehicle depreciation reserve.

Officials described three trucks in poor condition: a 2016 one‑arm loader (the “one‑arm bandit”) that is showing heavy wear, a 2012 rear loader with a repair estimate of about $36,000, and an older 2006 truck that is not roadworthy. Staff said rental costs have been high while trucks are out of service.

Staff proposed a three-step rate plan: raise the monthly sanitation fee from $20 to $25 immediately, increase it by another $5 on Jan. 1, 2027 (to $30), and add $2 on Jan. 1, 2028 (to $32). The increases are intended to cover vehicle replacement costs, seed a depreciation/capital account for future replacements and avoid privatizing service. Council members discussed privatization tradeoffs, union impacts (potential layoffs if sanitation work were outsourced) and options for leasing or borrowing to buy trucks sooner.

Nathaniel, a city staff member, summarized the legal/employment risk of privatization and confirmed the proposed $12 total increase over three years would be aimed primarily at equipment costs: “That $12 is not us being profitable. That $12 is strictly to cover equipment cost and a very small portion of labor cost,” he said.

Council agreed to schedule the ordinance process: a special meeting/first reading, followed by a public hearing at the regular May meeting and a second reading to complete the ordinance process. Staff will present the committee’s detailed spreadsheet and proposed ordinance language at the special meeting planned for April 20 at 5:30 p.m.