The Everman City Council hosted the first public hearing on Garbage, Waste, & Recycling services last Tuesday during the Regular City Council Meeting. During the public hearing, it was shared that the current agreement for services has been in place for many years and has withstood the turbulent economy, keeping service prices low even during times of major inflation. With that contract agreement expiring in March of this year, pricing increases are inevitable. Garbage, Waste, & Recycling for residential customers is assessed on the monthly water bill at a rate of $17.50.
The City heard directly from Waste Connections regarding potential service options and their potential price impacts. There were several facts shared by Waste Connections, LLC which include:
- The current “Take All Service” has a significantly higher costs due to requiring additional personnel (2-3 per truck).
- Currently, only approximately 50% of Everman residents utilize the residential recycling carts.
- Of the 50% that do utilize the recycling carts, 40% of that recycling is contaminated and cannot be accepted, ultimately going to the landfill anyway.
- In Everman, the average household produces 42.37lbs. of trash per week. Trash carts can hold up to 75 pounds of trash (or five 15lb-kitchen trash bags).
In order to maintain our current level of “Take All Service” twice per week, residents would see an increase on their monthly water bill of more than $4 (22%+). This is a dramatic increase. Waste Connections proposed several alternatives that included transitioning to a cart service, eliminating residential recycling and providing free recycling alternatives, and even reducing the number of pick-ups each week. Each proposal varied in cost, with some options actually significantly reducing cost. Residents can watch the public hearing on the City of Everman YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/live/9ZVsHomdeN4?si=s8y9zhx8e7hFGWp2 (Hearing starts at 15:30)
The Everman City Council will be hosting a second Public Hearing related to Garbage, Waste, and Recycling Services on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 6pm during the Everman City Council Regular Meeting. The meeting will be held at the Everman Civic Center (213 N. Race St). Your voice matters and the City Council wants to hear from you!
