Changes in Trash Service Effective January 1, 2023
Starting in November 2021, the Council and Town staff have communicated to the PSA their concerns regarding service to our residents, particularly the long delays in the removal of bulk items and customer complaint calls. These service issues and the Town having to respond to these issues led the Town Manager to notify the PSA in January 2022 that the Town would discontinue billing for PSA trash collection on June, 1, 2022, making it clear to residents the agency responsible for trash collection.
Prior to this, in December 2021 the Town Manager suggested that the upcoming budget include resources for bulk trash removal since the PSA service was not timely.
Staff met with PSA officials in late January to discuss their concerns regarding losing billing services and the Town shared our specific concerns, but this meeting did not yield any proposed change in service and the Town reaffirmed its original decision on the 19th of January. The PSA Director and a member of the board attended a council meeting in February, citing the challenges the termination of billing posed for the PSA and indicated that servicing the Town would be troublesome if billing services ceased and not profitable otherwise.
This prompted the Town to initiate an RFP process in May 2022 to determine if there was an acceptable alternative to the contractual arrangement with the PSA, which had been in place since 1986. County officials had encouraged the Town to do its "due diligence" in evaluating options potentially available. Three responses were received on June 1, 2022, which triggered an exhausting analysis of the proposals, including one from the PSA. Council identified as its three priorities for trash services, customer service, regular bulk pickup, collection and operation of a convenience center. Meetings with potential providers focused on these priorities as well as cost.
In the final analysis, a private hauler, GFL (Green for Life) was selected. Their proposal provides improved service at the same cost and will include providing a 95-gallon container to each residence and business currently receiving curbside collection, weekly collection of trash, bulk collection once a month, upgraded convenience center equipment, fewer holiday service changes and a dedicated customer service hotline. GFL Will begin servicing Town residents January 1, 2023. Details on transitioning to this company will follow in the months ahead.
The PSA has had, since 1986, the exclusive right to perform trash services to all residential, commercial, and industrial customers within the Town limits. That exclusivity will end with the termination of the existing contract on 12-31-22. While the Town continues to consider whether it should grant exclusive rights for these businesses to be serviced in the future, businesses will be free to choose their trash provider for the immediate future.