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Board hears update on curbside compost pilot; RFP could include New Albany‑specific curbside option
Summary
Staff reported 41 households have registered for the curbside food‑waste pilot, with bucket delivery scheduled before the first pickup on Sept. 18; the city may add a New Albany addendum to the consortium RFP for curbside food‑waste collection to be posted in February, but funding and vendor participation remain unresolved.
Staff told the Sustainability Advisory Board the curbside food‑waste pilot will begin service Sept. 18 and that buckets will be delivered to registered participants the day before. "We have 41 people that have registered," the staff member said, noting the program needs at least 30 signups to meet the vendor minimum and that the board’s ultimate participation goal is roughly 150 households (40% participation in the Windsor pilot would be about 80 households).
Board members raised logistical questions about bucket placement in alleys and emphasized communication with Rumpke to avoid buckets being mistaken for trash; staff confirmed Rumpke and other vendors had been notified. Staff and board also discussed that the city participates in a procurement consortium with neighboring communities; staff said the consortium RFP (to be finalized this year and posted in February) could include an addendum seeking bids specifically for New Albany curbside food‑waste service. Staff noted the consultant/consortium partner’s name is inconsistently transcribed in the meeting record and that staff will confirm the correct consultant name in writing.
Board members discussed funding scenarios if a curbside service were selected: staff cited vendor estimates of about $8 per home if only participants are charged, or roughly $3 per home if the cost is spread across all residents; possible first‑year contributions from partners and reallocating funds from existing drop‑off services were discussed as mitigation options. The board also discussed longer‑term options such as volume‑based household fees to better align incentives for waste reduction and composting.
No formal action was taken; staff will proceed with outreach for the pilot, monitor signups and return to the board with updates and with any RFP language once consultant and funding questions are clarified.
