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Glencoe examines LRS contract renewal, weighing KPIs, bulk pickup changes and organics options
Summary
Public works staff told trustees the LRS waste collection contract (in place since 2017) expires at year‑end; staff outlined resident complaints, LRS concessions (KPIs, possible weekly bulk pickup) and options to extend the current contract six months while developing an RFP and pricing analysis.
Public works staff briefed the Committee of the Whole on June 18 about options for the village’s municipal solid‑waste contract with LRS, which began in 2017 and expires at the end of the year.
Staff said resident complaints about missed pickups and long customer‑service hold times have increased the workload for village staff. "LRS has been in the village ... and the current contract is up at the end of this year," a public works presenter said, noting staff had asked LRS for customer‑service reporting, defined service standards and proposed key performance indicators.
LRS has proposed operational concessions that staff described as potential tradeoffs — for example, permitting residents to place one bulk item at the curb weekly (or, in alternative language discussed, two bulk items) in exchange for eliminating the spring cleanup event. Trustees cautioned that weekly bulk pickup could create year‑round curb clutter and staffing challenges, and staff recommended a phased pilot if the board wants to try a change.
Staff also discussed bundling organics (yard waste/food scraps) into the base service as part of a sustainability plan, including the need to provide additional bins and an opt‑out mechanism for residents who do not want organics collection. Staff noted that other North Shore communities operate curbside composting programs but warned of administrative and cost impacts if the village bundles organics into the base rate.
On contracting process and timing, staff said a six‑month extension of the current contract could be feasible and would provide time to develop an RFP and to analyze proposed new rates or service options. "Either way, we think a 6 month extension is feasible and would allow us more time to develop the RFP," the presenter said. Trustees asked staff to return with price comparisons, likely participation assumptions (staff estimated modest weekly participation for bulk pickup) and operational consequences, including bin replacement logistics and onboarding complexity if the village switches vendors.
What’s next: staff will continue negotiations with LRS, model rate scenarios and report back with recommendations and pricing by late summer or September for board consideration.
