Ballooning cost, spiking complaints push KC to consider takeover of trash service
Rising costs and a skyrocketing number of complaints about uncollected trash have pushed Kansas City to consider bringing some of its pickup services in-house after four decades.
In a joint meeting, the City Council’s Finance and Governance and Neighborhoods and Public Safety committees voted unanimously to direct City Manager Troy Schulte and city staff to develop a plan to improve trash services.
Since the 1970s, municipal crews have collected trash in neighborhoods from the Missouri River to 63rd Street. Pickups in the Northland and south of 63rd have been outsourced to private contractors.
But private collection costs are expected to rise by 50 percent after existing contracts with Houston-based Waste Corporation of America (WCA) and its subsidiaries expire on April 30, 2020. Officials believe the city can save $20 million over 10 years and improve service by doing the work itself.
City officials said service has deteriorated since WCA purchased the former municipal trash contractor, Town & Country, in 2015.
“Something has changed,” said City Manager Troy Schulte, “and the residents know it and they’re concerned about it and I know they let you know about it and they’re letting me know about it.”
Surveys show resident satisfaction has slipped, especially in the Northland, where it fell 22 percent. With the city’s decision to suspend Wednesday’s recycling pickups because of the weather, Schulte said his Twitter feed was full of complaints.
Councilwoman Heather Hall, 1st District, said uncollected trash is the issue she hears about most frequently from her constituents.
“Trash and recycling is the most basic of services that we provide here in Kansas City, and when we don’t do what they expect, it’s very frustrating,” Hall said.
She introduced the ordinance, which has eight cosponsors.
Michael Shaw, who manages solid waste for the city, said bringing pickups in-house would save the city $20 million over 10 years despite having to hire 78 new trash collectors. With those savings, he said, the city could provide more bulky-item pickup dates to keep residents from illegally dumping around their neighborhoods. The city could also expand its partnerships with communities to clean up debris.
Councilwoman Alissia Canady, 5th District, said in the city’s core residents are concerned about illegal dumping, debris and the limit of two trash bags per household. She said it’s not cost beneficial for residents to haul large items to appropriate disposal sites, and that the bag limit can mean residents dump extra trash around their community.
”Economic limitations are a reality for many families in the central part of the city,” Canady said.
In an interview, Schulte said city staff would present a plan to the council in the next 30 to 60 days to address purchasing equipment, hiring staff and getting the program off the ground.
The plan will still need council approval.
If the city does decide to bring services in-house, Schulte warned, contractors may have less incentive to perform well in their final months.
“It may get worse before it gets better,” he said.
Schulte also said that building a new program in 14 months will be challenging, and that he would prefer to extend the existing contracts to May 2021 to give the city more time. But he also expressed confidence in Shaw, his solid waste manager.
“Mike thinks he can stand it up,” Schulte said.
This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 4:47 PM.
