Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears contract concerns with LRS refuse provider ahead of August service change
Summary
Mayor Johnson and council members discussed unresolved issues with the LRS refuse contract — including promised communication tools, material-breach language, cart delivery and outreach — noting the contract’s effective date is August 1 and that additional negotiation and marketing are needed for a smooth transition.
City leaders flagged outstanding issues with a proposed refuse collection contract with LRS as the August 1 service start date approaches. Mayor Johnson told council the draft contract lacks certain communication features the company included in its bid (a text-message or app-based communication system) and that staff and LRS have been negotiating provisions including fee structure, the citizen complaint feature, and material-breach clauses that would allow the city to exit the contract if LRS fails to perform.
The mayor said he had pasted language from LRS’s original bid into the contract and that LRS rejected that language in the draft; he also said the contract’s material-breach language had been modified in a way staff does not understand and that the city is seeking clarification. He asked for a plan for cart delivery and stressed the importance of a marketing push to make residents aware of service changes — notably that loose trash at the curb will no longer be collected if it is not inside a tote or cart under the new service.
Council members noted some residents were already receiving bills for trash-can rentals under the current transition and suggested staff advise residents to check with LRS before paying annual bills. Staff indicated additional contract revisions were expected and that the intent is to finalize outstanding items before the August effective date.
