A load of trash collection concerns were dumped at the feet of Osawatomie City Council members during a public hearing Sept. 5 at Memorial Hall, but a decision on who the city’s next service provider will be has yet to be made.
City leaders scheduled the public hearing to gather feedback from the community and to hear from representatives of the two companies bidding for the service.
The city’s contract with Waste Management is set to expire at year’s end, and Harrisonville-based WCA is vying to pick up the contract for Osawatomie’s solid waste and recycling collection program.
Waste Management was represented at the meeting by Bryce Smith, district manager, and John Blessing, public sector manager. WCA was represented by Carey Calabrese, district manager, and Tom Coffman, municipal representative.
Concerns about trash collection recently surfaced after Waste Management (formerly Louisburg-based L&K Services) took over billing from the city several months ago. Having the city take back control of the billing was a common sentiment expressed at the meeting. Council member Tamara Maichel said she’d like to see the trash service back on the city utility bills because the city could then shut off utilities if the bill is not paid. That should cut down on the current issue of residents not utilizing a trash service and instead illegally dumping trash in commercial dumpsters or neighboring trash containers, she said.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)