Columbus Council votes to spend even more money on waste pickup. Here’s what to know
Update, Aug. 11: The Columbus Council approved the emergency bulk waste pickup and new recycling bin purchases.
The Columbus Council is set to consider two items related to the city’s recycling and waste pickup during its Tuesday meeting.
Over the past nine months, the city has made a few multimillion dollar purchases for the departments. A lack of prison inmate labor due to COVID-19 caused issues with pickups into the summer, and now, driver shortages are delaying bulk waste pickup.
Here’s the breakdown of the two proposals and other major financial moves the council has approved since December 2020.
Emergency bulk waste pickup and more recycling bins
One of the items up for consideration during Tuesday’s meeting would allow City Manager Isaiah Hugley to negotiate and enter contracts with businesses or individuals for “emergency” bulk waste pickup.
The vendors would collect large household appliances and furniture, as well as large piles of branches that can’t be handled by regular garbage trucks and take them to the landfill. The vendor must have all necessary equipment and labor, a business license and proper insurance before being contracted by the city.
They will receive $250 per ton, and the proposal would allow Hugley to enter contracts without further council approval.
“The Public Works Department is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of drivers which has drastically impacted bulk waste pick up,” a portion of the council proposal reads. “This process will assist the Department with quickly addressing any backlog until drivers can be hired and/or for future ongoing services.”
The second proposal would approve the purchase of 3,000 65-gallon recycling containers from Canadian company IPL North America, Inc. for $126,000. The measure is part of the city’s efforts to automate recycling, according to the proposal. Both expenses would be covered by the city’s Integrated Waste Management Fund.
In the last council meeting, Public Works Director Mike Criddle said the county is, on average, four to six weeks behind with bulk waste pickups. Private contractor AmWaste is behind 1.5 to 2 weeks on its yard waste routes, and city yard waste crews are two days behind.
Recent major purchases
If approved, those two items would join a list of recent financial moves approved by the Columbus Council related to waste and recycling.
Some of those include:
- December 2020: Council agreed to spend roughly $2.4 million for eight automated recycling trucks that require only a driver to operate. The trucks debuted in May 2021. Mayor Skip Henderson previously told the Ledger-Enquirer that the money came from fund reserves.
- May 2021: Council approved a roughly $1.8 million supplemental yard waste contract with West Point-based company AmWaste. In late July, the city doubled its business with the company, agreeing to pay a monthly rate of $148,150 for five additional yard waste routes. If needed for a full year, the cost would be close to $1.8 million — meaning the city could pay AmWaste up to $3.6 million. Those funds will come from the city’s Integrated Waste Management Fund.
- July 2021: Council voted to waive September 2021 trash fees for residential customers. Deputy City Manager Lisa Goodwin previously said that a one-month waiver would cost the city $1 million in revenue. The money for the waivers will come from the city’s Integrated Waste Management Fund.
City leaders have also previously discussed automating waste pickup. It would cost an estimated $19.5 million for 40 trucks and all of the necessary containers.
Funds could come from Columbus’ $78.4 million in American Rescue Plan funds. The Columbus Council is currently considering a list of projects that would receive the federal coronavirus aid money.
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 3:03 PM.