Fairfield council approves Waste Management contract

FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield City Council unanimously approved a new trash and recycling contract with Waste Management at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 27.

The contract will last five years starting this July, and the biggest change for Fairfield residents is that they will receive a trash cart, similar to the recycling cart they are now issued. Originally, Waste Management had told the city that it had to order either a 96-gallon cart or a 65-gallon cart for all households. Later, after meetings with residents and some negotiations, Waste Management offered to let homeowner associations (HOAs) receive their own size of cart separate from the rest of town.

During Monday’s council meeting, the council shared that after another round of negotiations, Waste Management was willing to let all Fairfield residents choose between a 96-gallon trash cart (same size as their 96-gallon recycling cart) or the smaller 65-gallon trash cart. Some residents had asked Waste Management to provide even smaller options like a 48- or 32-gallon cart, though WM representative Ammon Taylor said that his company could not order those in large numbers, and on top of that, they sometimes fell through the mechanical arms of the garbage truck and fell into the trash compactor.

City residents pay a bit over $18 now for trash and recycling services, though that doesn’t cover the provision of a trash cart, which will be included in the new contract. Under the new contract, Fairfield households will pay $22.27 per month for trash and recycling, and that number will increase 3.5 percent per year. Waste Management’s original proposal called for an annual increase of 5 percent.

Council member Elizabeth Estey said annual rate increases of this size are normal. She said the town of Agency is in a seven-year contract with Waste Management, and though it has a lower overall rate, it’s subject to a 5.5 percent annual increase. Estey said the city of Washington’s contract with Waste Management allows for a 3 percent annual increase, too.

City Administrator Doug Reinert and Mayor Connie Boyer spoke about how the city worked with Waste Management to keep fees low, especially compared to some surrounding towns. Estey added that Mt. Pleasant residents pay $24.25 per month, and they only have an 18-galllon recycling bin. She said city staff researched what other cities are paying, and found a wide variation from $15-$40 per month, with an average around $22 per month.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com