HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 03 Yard Debris Pickup
Meeting Date:
Meeting Type:
Department:
Staff Contact:
Staff Phone No:
Estimated Time:
March 17, 2008
Work Session
Public wor~kQ
Len Goodwi .
726-3685
10 minutes
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
SPRINGFIELD
CITY COUNCIL
ITEM TITLE:
YARD DEBRIS PICKUP
ACTION
REQUESTED:
Provide direction to staff on parameters of proposed yard debris program to
be offered to Springfield residents by Sanipac
ISSUE
STATEMENT:
Sanipac proposes to offer a subscription based yard debris pickup program
beginning May 1, 2008. If Council believes the parameters proposed by
Sanipac are appropriate, staff will complete negotiations and reduce the
terms to a formal agreement to be executed by the City Manager.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Outline of Yard Debris Pickup Program
DISCUSSION/
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
When Sanipac presented its annual report to Council on October 22,2007,
one of the principal issues for discussion was the potential for offering a
yard debris collection program to Springfield residents. Residents of Eugene
have had such a program for sever!li years, and the absence of such a
program has, for the past two years, been the principal reason for customer
service requests to the City.
Council has considered this issue in the past and has been unwilling to
require a universal program, as is the case in Eugene, expressing the belief
that it would not be supported by a majority of Springfield customers.
Council did direct that if a subscription based program could be developed at
a ,reasonable charge, it would consider at least a pilot effort to help gauge
support for the program. City staff and Sanipac have met several times and
developed a proposal for a subscription based program which could be
available for $4.75 a month, a figure that compares favorably with Eugene's
rate of $3.20 a month, particularly when you consider that rate has not been
changed since 2001.. The major features of the program are described in
Attachment A. Sanipac believes that the program can be self-sustaining if at
least 2,500 customers (slightly under 20 percent of the customer base)
participate, although the program would more confidently be self-sustaining
at a participation rate of about 3,500 customers. This program would run for
two years, at which time both the City and Sanipac would evaluate whether
it was being effective at reducing the level of trash transported to the landfill,
as well as meeting customer satisfaction goals.
Outline of Yard Debris Collection Program
Sanipac will offer a program ofbi-weekly pickup of yard debris beginning on or about
the first week of May 2008.
Initially, the program will be offered for a period of two years. Sanipac and the City each
reserve the right to, upon written notice to the other at least 60 days in advance of the
completion of the second year, terminate the program without any further obligation..
F or the initial two year period, the parties agree to the following terms and conditions of
the service:
1. The program will be available to all customers, but only upon specific request
of the customer.
2. The initial monthly charge for the service, which shall not be changed during
the two year period, shall be $4.75 per month.
3. Notwithstanding the above, ifless than 1,000 customers ofSanipac request
the service, Sanipac shall be authorized to terminate the service during the
period.
4. In order to prevent difficulties with routing due to customers trying to use the
service seasonally, Sanipac may impose a fee, not to exceed $25, for restore
service to customers who cancel and restart service at the same address, if
less than nine months have elapsed since such cancellation.
Sanipac shall report quarterly to the City with respect to the number of participants, the
quantity of yard debris removed, and such other information as the City shall reasonably
request.
At least 90 days before the end of the two year period, City staff and Sanipac shall meet
and confer and attempt to come to a common recommendation on whether the program
should continue beyond the end of the two year period. If the parties do recommend
continuation, each party may propose changes to the program, which changes, if agreed
to, shall be incorporated into a revised agreement which shall be considered for approval
by the City Council.
Attachment A, Page 1 of 1