Agenda Packets - 2023/03/03 - Laserfiche WebLink

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In our March 28, 1980 report, Solid Waste Collection Alternatives, we analyzed the problems with our solid waste collection operation and recommended remedies. We terminated the operation on May 9th as planned. A lot of activities were required including reassignment of employees, disposal of trucks, and assistance to city customers in finding private haulers. I also committed the Public Works Department to an improved enforcement program and we are mandated by the City Council to prepare an organized solid waste collection report by September 1, 1980. TERMINATION OF COLLECTION OPERATION We successfully terminated the city collection operation --we no longer -pick up residential refuse. Three city crews continue to provide refuse pickup for litter baskets in the downtown area, city playgrounds, fire stations, libraries and public buildings. We are still doing the bookkeeping and accounting work necessary to close out the fund. All Solid Waste employees are working in their own or equivalent titles with no loss of time or rate of pay through the phasing out period. CITY CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE The Department of Public Works made a major effort to communicate with the 13,200 city customers that we were stopping the city service on May 9th and the reasons for it. Customers were provided information on licensed private haulers and were encouraged to make arrangements as soon as possible. The week preceding May 9th it was my judgment that 80% of the City's customers had made arrangements for a private hauler. I think that estimate was too low and I think the number was over 90%. There are few problems during the week of May 9th in the immediate transition period and there has been little or no problem since. We have a "hot line" number set up in Public Works to answer calls on refuse, since May 9th, anticipating a fairly large number of calls, but as it turned out we've hardly had any calls, even the days following May 9th. Right now it's only one or two calls per day. In my judgment almost all of the City customers now have service from private haulers. Private haulers have absorbed the City's customers without any great difficulty, as we anticipated. PRIVATE HAULER CHARGES In the March 28 report we said that in our judgment 3/4 of the approximately 50 licensed residential private haulers were charging the same or less than our rate at that time of $1.45 per week or $6.00 per month. We said further that some of the private haulers had raised their rates since the first of the year but the large majority were following the City and would raise their rates only the City did. It goes without saying that the private haulers have the same expenses the city would have and would have to adjust their rates at some point. There are two major areas that affect the rates: first - fuel costs and; secondly - landfill disposal costs. Fuel costs have not changed significantly since the March 28th report. Landfill disposal costs have taken a sharp increase. The Pine Bend Landfill, where perhaps 80% of all St. Paul's refuse is disposed, has