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Waste Management presents $1.6 million host‑fee check and says cart rollout nearly complete
Summary
Waste Management presented a $1,597,440.71 host‑fee check to Okeechobee County and told commissioners the trash‑cart rollout is "about 99% done," with new automated trucks expected in early October and a Sept. 27 deadline for free cart swaps.
Waste Management presented a quarterly host‑fee payment of $1,597,440.71 to Okeechobee County and updated the Board of County Commissioners on the company’s automated cart rollout.
"We are about 99% done, complete with this program," said Debbie Perez, government affairs manager for Waste Management, who told the board the company has delivered roughly 12,000–13,000 carts to residents. Perez said residents may swap for a free garbage cart through Sept. 27, that current unlimited pickup remains in effect until the new trucks arrive, and that the first automated trucks are estimated to roll into service in early October. Perez added that postcards will notify residents at least two weeks before the automated trucks begin collection.
The board and WM staff clarified operational details: bulk pickup will continue on a routed basis up to 4 cubic yards weekly (residents must call WM for larger piles), drivers will tag oversized piles and coordinate options with residents, and WM agreed to allow residents to buy additional carts without an ongoing extra pickup fee (one‑time purchase only). Commissioners raised concerns about multi‑residence driveways where multiple homes share a single set of mailboxes and asked WM and county staff to ensure multi‑household driveways are correctly identified so each home receives the appropriate number of carts.
