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March 28, 2024 <br /> TO: Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe& Decatur City Council Members <br /> FROM: Scot Wrighton, City Manager <br /> RE: Yard Waste Removal Services & Fees <br /> On February 20,the City Council requested a discussion item be included on the next following <br /> council agenda concerning new arrangements stipulated in the City Code for premium yard <br /> waste services, and the different types of yard waste services offered,to date, by Decatur's two <br /> largest private haulers.This request was made because most council members had received <br /> numerous complaints from citizens about the manner in which premium yard waste services <br /> and changes had been rolled out following December adoption of an overhaul to Chapter 56. <br /> Following an extended council discussion on March 4,staff was directed to obtain new rates <br /> and revised terms for two new alternatives: 1)find the lowest acceptable fee for an unlimited <br /> residential yard waste service program to be made available to ALL eligible customers (paid by <br /> ALL eligible customers, not just those who sign-up for optional premium yard waste services); <br /> and 2) keep the status quo in-place, but revise the terms and conditions of"premium yard <br /> waste"services that residential customers could optionally elect to receive, and for which they <br /> would also pay an extra fee. Since March 4, 1 have met frequently with GFL and Waste <br /> Management to develop options responsive to the council's request. It has taken considerable <br /> effort to get the two private haulers to provide comparable proposals, and refine them so I am <br /> comfortable submitting them to the council for review and subsequent action.The product of <br /> my negotiations has yielded the following two options. Draft ordinances have been prepared <br /> for both options (attached).The council can only adopt one of the options. <br /> Option One:Year-round universal yard waste available to all eligible residents (i.e.,those <br /> covered by Chapter 56)for a common fee paid by all residential customers. <br /> This option would provide unlimited weekly at-curb collection of yard waste to all <br /> residences from March 1 thru December 15 every year. From December 15 thru the end <br /> of February,there would be two(2)yard waste pick-ups, one in January and one in <br /> February.The private haulers will be responsible for properly informing customers <br /> about the specific weeks in January and February that trucks will be in their respective <br /> neighborhoods. At all times,yard waste must be placed in biodegradable bags <br /> purchased by the customer or in appropriate containers provided by the customer(if <br /> marked "Yard Waste Only"), and sticks/branches must be bundled as required by the <br /> ordinance. Private haulers will not provide yard waste containers. There will no longer <br /> be a Spring and Fall clean-up period since unlimited yard waste would be available to <br /> everyone all year. Within reason, customers can use any combination of biodegradable <br /> bags, stick bundles, and privately owned containers to set out their yard waste.The <br />