Bulk and Yard Waste to be Picked Up Every Other Week Under Amended City Contract
by James Coulter
Do you have yard waste that you want to be picked up by the garbage truck? Well, you may need to set it out sooner rather than later, as bulk and yard waste pickup with be changed to every other week rather than weekly.
At their meeting on Tues. Feb. 18, 2025, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would amend the city’s contract for solid waste collection by Republic Services.
According to a city agenda memo on the matter, “In October 2024, the City Commission approved Ordinance 2024-21, a five-year contract with Republic Services. However, there was a clerical error relating to bulk and yard waste pickup. Under the expiring solid waste contract, bulk and yard waste use to be picked up weekly, however under the new contract bulk and yard waste was negotiated to every other week pickup.
This change was done in order to try to keep the solid waste costs down for the citizens. Due to a clerical error, the wording within the contract was not changed from weekly to every other week, Section 1(a) bulk pickup and Section 2(a) yard waste pickup.”
If approved, the ordinance would amend the city’s five-year contract, which would move bulk and yard waste pickup to every other week rather than weekly. These changes would become effective on Apr. 1, 2025.
“This change was done in order to try to keep the solid waste costs down for the citizens,” the city agenda memo stated.
Under the contract, weekly pickup of bulk and yard waste would have cost $27.58, while every other week pickup would cost only $25.51. The price difference, as explained in the memo, would have been $2.07 per month, or $24.84 annually.
“Should the City Commission select Schedule A, once a week bulk and yard waste pickup, customers would have an additional increase in their solid waste monthly fee of $2.07,” the memo explained.
Commissioner Carol Gillespie said that the city should make “a genuine and extensive effort” to inform the public about these changes so they can prepare their waste for collection accordingly.
Commissioner Keith Thompson said he would appreciate receiving feedback from the public about these changes. As much as he was willing to accept these changes, he wanted to hear from residents whether or not these changes would be convenient for them.
“I would be willing to pay (for these changes), but that is just me,” he said.
City commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of this ordinance. The second reading will be voted upon at an upcoming commission meeting.
