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Spalding commissioners weigh broadened curbside pickup, keep collection centers during transition
Summary
Commissioners discussed inequities in waste service access and gave staff direction to pursue a transition to countywide curbside pickup with a planning target date of July 2027 while maintaining current collection centers in the near term; budgeted equipment purchases will be reassessed as procurement proceeds.
The Spalding County Board on June 1 debated whether to expand curbside trash pickup countywide and how to fund and schedule a transition, with commissioners urging careful planning, public education and vendor procurement before changing existing collection-center operations.
Commissioner Gwen Flowers Taylor, who requested the agenda item, said many rural residents lack regular curbside pickup and that the county should map need and determine whether collection centers or curbside service are more appropriate in different areas. "We need to look at what's on the ground. Where is the real need for trash pickup?" she said.
Public works director TJ Embberger told the board that four household recycling/collection centers are open (each reportedly three days a week with Saturday service) and one center handles bulky materials each Saturday at no charge to residents; staff said the centers have seen declining tonnages for regular waste but resilient bulky-waste usage (staff reported roughly 93 tons of bulky waste in the first six months reported to the board). Some commissioners voiced concern that free bulky disposal could be abused by nonresidents or commercial actors and asked about residency checks and potential fees for non-household or commercial drops.
On timing and budget: commissioners asked whether to buy compactors and a truck now or delay purchases until after procurement finishes. Several members said they would prefer keeping the current centers and budget line items in place while directing staff to issue RFQs/RFPs and to aim for a July 2027 curbside start date if a viable vendor and outreach plan are in place. "That affords staff time to create a solid RFQ and RFP and to communicate with the community," a commissioner said. The board asked staff to develop a transition plan, including accommodation for residents who cannot place carts at the roadside (medical or mobility exceptions) and a clear schedule for bulky pickup.
What happens next: Staff will prepare procurement documents, refine the FY27 budget assumptions and return with a recommended contract strategy, a proposed vendor service area map and an outreach plan. The board left collection centers open for the coming year while directing staff to reduce or reallocate planned capital purchases if the procurement indicates they are unnecessary.
