Saving the city money

This week the Green River City Council continued discussions regarding Wyoming Waste Systems, the company's contract with the city, and potential changes to some of the company's programs, particularly yard waste collection during winter months.

The council had a workshop Tuesday night to further discuss these topics, during which it was noted that the reason the city originally established the contract with Wyoming Waste was to save money for the residents of Green River.

City Administrator Reed Clevenger presented the contract with Wyoming Waste Systems from 2018, which is a 10-year contract. He explained some of the details from when the contract was developed, and the benefits that led the city to out-source trash collection to another company. Clevenger explained that some fee increases are built into the contract and are based on the Bureau of Labor Statistic's 12-month rolling CPI (Consumer Price Index).

Clevenger, City Finance Director Chris Meats, and Wyoming Waste Site Manager Michelle Foote answered questions from council members regarding the CPI fee increases, Wyoming Waste's programs and customer service, and some of the pros and cons of different systems of waste management.

Meats noted that many years have been spent looking into different options and working to educate people on the benefits and downfalls of different systems. He noted that it's the city's job to get the best deal, and most people are happy as long as their garbage disappears, so they don't necessarily care for the details.

"Until they get a bill," Councilmember Ron Williams interjected.

Meats conceded this point, admitting that the number one complaint he gets is why the solid waste bill increased.

Councilmember Gary Killpack noted that only he and Councilmember Robert Berg were on the council when the original contract with Wyoming Waste Systems was approved. With this in mind, Killpack wanted to explain to the other council members some of the reasoning behind establishing the contract in the first place, which was mainly for the sake of saving customers money.

Meats explained more of the details, pointing out that the city was significantly raising the rate in 2017, going from $25 to $35 a month, and they estimated that by 2025 they would be up to $49 a month. At the time the city was also faced with closing the landfill, and trying to continue it would have led to rates around $70 to $80 a month at the time. Even the $49 a month rate wouldn't have included a transfer station and would have only had garbage service once a week and a local roll-off dumpster drop site with size limits. There also would have been no recycling or yard waste pickup. Meats also noted that other factors would likely have driven the rates up even further, probably closer to the $60 to $70 range. Meats estimated the minimum cost today if the city had continued the service would be $150 a quarter, and he said he felt confident it would be higher.

When Wyoming Waste System put in a bid and eventually was chosen for the contract, they started at a rate a few dollars cheaper than what the city would have been, and with more services available. Currently, Wyoming Waste System's rate is around $119 a quarter.

"So the bottom line is, we're getting a heck of a deal," Killpack said. "The citizens are really getting a good deal."

Killpack also noted that he's had people complain because Rock Springs residents pay less - about $107 a quarter, according to Meats. But Killpack and Meats explained that this isn't all that Rock Springs residents pay, since some of the cost goes onto their property taxes, and Green River residents save money by not having a mill levy for garbage.

"Because of the money that citizens are saving right now, I don't necessarily think what Michelle's asking us to do for those so many days is really unfair," Killpack said, referring to Wyoming Waste Systems' request to not pick up yard waste for a few months of the winter.

Foote also noted during the workshop that the request to not run the yard waste pickup program during the worst part of the winter is based on what Wyoming Waste has seen happening. She noted that during winter months there are typically only two or three containers out that may only be about a quarter full, so it's hardly enough to justify having a truck run a full route to pick up.

"My main reason. . .for asking for it is what the city residents are already doing," she said.

Councilman Robert Berg brought up concerns over how the motion to approve the change was worded and whether they were approving a rate change to the contract. Meats explained that the CPI rate increase is part of the contract already and not voted on by the council, and said that the motion was only for the change to the yard waste program.

The council decided to add the consideration of the amendment to the contract with Wyoming Waste Systems to the agenda for the next council meeting.