Trash and recycling services in the City of Taylor will be greatly upgraded beginning next week (Monday, June 13), thanks to a new agreement between the City and Rizzo Environmental Services, which was approved by the City Council through a 5-2 vote last night.
The council approved a transfer and revision of the current contract to Rizzo. Midwest Sanitation is the current provider (through this week). Rizzo’s new contract and improved range of services will technically begin July 1, but the company has agreed to service the community at no addition charge beginning next week. Schedules will remain the same for residents.
“When I took office in late 2013, I knew that we needed to make changes with Midwest,” Mayor Rick Sollars said. “We had significant issues with the private-public partnership and performance. When challenged, Midwest admitted that it could not improve its performance in various areas, which automatically opened the door for us to open negotiations with other firms and renegotiate and transfer the contract. We are extremely pleased with the level of services that Rizzo will offer our residents.”
Those offerings will include the following:
Weekly trash pickups including unlimited bulk items (certain stipulations still apply – hazardous waste is not included, and debris from major renovations cannot be discarded at curbside)
Weekly recycling pickups
A “Rizzo Rewards” program for recycling
Weekly yard waste pickup as needed (seasonal)
A “QAlert” system that handles all service calls from residents relating to waste pickup
A cart management team will take over all services related to trash and recycling containers including repairs, replacements, new residents moving into the community, etc.
Rizzo will be responsible for all expenses related to collection and transportation of waste, recyclables and yard waste
Rizzo will purchase the City’s fleet of worn-out garbage trucks ($400,000)
Rizzo will keep to the same collection schedules and routing currently being done in the community
As Mayor Sollars pointed out to the council on Tuesday, what the new agreement translates into are much greater services to all Taylor residents.
“You’re now looking at a ‘five-stop’ trash pickup weekly,” he said. “In essence, should residents require them, they will receive a regular trash pickup, recycling pickup, bulk pickup, yard waste pickup and even pickup from Simple Recycling (which is not affiliated with Rizzo) at the end of the cycle. This is a tremendous increase in service.”
The free bulk-item pickup is a “huge plus” for Taylor residents, Mayor Sollars said. “The old agreement forced residents to pay a fee for bulk pickup, and that just wasn’t right,” he said. “I’m a resident myself, and if I’m paying taxes, I expect my garbage to be picked up. Within reason, I don’t expect to have to pay for ‘extra’ pickups. Rizzo will do that for us.”
Transferring all services relating to trash pickup to Rizzo will also unburden the City’s Department of Public Works. The DPW currently constructs, maintains, etc. all trash and recycling containers. An entire section of the DPW yard is dedicated to that job – which now transfers to Rizzo. DPW labor can be concentrated elsewhere. Fuel for the trucks is also at Rizzo's expense, not the City's.
“Rizzo Rewards” steps into the void of the old “Recycling Perks” program, which was discontinued by council two years ago over concerns about cost and dissatisfaction with the program. The City has looked into a better, costlier recycling incentive program. The new Rizzo contract includes that type of program, which many residents are seeking. Reward’s programs like this offer points that are redeemable for valuable coupons and discounts to local stores.