Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wolverine Lake council presses contractor over repeated missed pickups, asks staff to seek alternatives
Summary
Council members criticized Priority Waste for repeated missed collections and a flawed bulk-leaf pickup, voted to direct the village administrator to research alternative haulers and options to hold the company to contract terms; residents were urged to file complaints to document failures.
Council members on Tuesday sharply criticized Priority Waste after multiple weeks of missed trash and recycling pickups and what several called an unacceptable bulk-leaf operation.
The Village Council heard repeated accounts from members and residents that Monday collections were routinely incomplete and that yard- and bulk-leaf collections had been particularly unreliable this season. Councilman Germini said the company’s service had steadily deteriorated and urged the village to “stop accepting apologies and demand accountability.”
Why it matters: Most municipal solid-waste contracts include service standards and remedies. Wolverine Lake’s contract, adopted years ago, does not include liquidated‑damages provisions for missed pickups. Staff and the village attorney told the council the contract does allow termination for a material breach: the village must give seven days’ written notice and, if the breach is not corrected within seven days, may terminate the contract — provided another hauler is available to assume service.
What the council did: The council voted to direct the administrator to investigate alternative waste‑collection providers and report options for action. The village attorney said staff could also explore using repeated notices for ongoing breaches and could include stronger penalty language and service‑level requirements in any future bid package.
Resident role and evidence: Council members and staff asked residents to log missed pickups through Priority Waste’s portal or report them to village hall. Staff said the portal records and village-submitted complaints provide documentary evidence if enforcement or a contract claim becomes necessary.
Next steps: The administrator will present options to the council, including the feasibility and timing of an early termination, language the village could add to future contracts (for example, liquidated damages), and potential replacement vendors. The council did not authorize an immediate termination at the meeting; members emphasized the need to ensure uninterrupted service before changing providers.
