09.e1 Update Trash and Recycling ServicesSCt'iNDILA
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: January 17, 2023
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Anne Hurlburt, Interim City Administrator
Re: Update: Trash and Recycling Services
At the January 4, 2023 meeting, the Council gave staff direction to begin pursuing an organized
collection system for trash and recycling services. A general flow chart for the steps is attached.
I've met with staff from Washington County and Foth Consulting, and consulted with the city
attorney. Here is an update.
Notice of Intent: First, the Council must provide a notice to the public and licensed solid waste
haulers. I'm working with the county and consultants to determine the requirements, and to draft
a notice. We will consult with the city attorney before bringing it to the Council for approval,
likely at the February 1, 2023 work session meeting.
Negotiating with Licensed Collectors: After giving notice, cities must negotiate with licensed
collectors for at least 60 days before establishing the required committee to study organized
collection. While Scandia does not currently license any collectors, the city attorney has opined
that this probably does not relieve the city of its obligation to follow this part of the statute. We
will work on laying out this process and report back to the Council at a future meeting.
Solid Waste Collections Options Committee: After the initial 60 day negotiating period, the
next step to implement organized collection would be to adopt a resolution establishing a
committee to identify, examine, evaluate and seek input regarding various methods of organized
collection. As we continue to receive citizen complaints, staff have begun to take contact
information from citizens who might be interested in serving on the Committee. We could also
begin formally advertising for volunteers, so that we are ready to appoint a committee when the
time comes.
After the committee makes its report, the Council would hold a public hearing to decide whether
to implement organized collection. Organized collection may begin not sooner than six months
after the effective date of the decision. The hauler(s) would be chosen through an RFP process.
Ordinance Update: County staff will be providing us with examples of ordinances from
communities using organized collection systems, so that we can begin preparing a draft to
replace our outdated City Code Chapter 52. It is possible other parts of the Code could be
affected (such as the Nuisance section.)
Technical Assistance: Washington County will fund assistance from Foth Consulting for help
preparing the ordinance and the future RFP. However, they will not pay for facilitating the work
of the required committee. Foth Consulting will prepare a proposal for assisting the city with this
part of the process. This will help us determine what staff might be able to do, where we will
need their assistance, and what the cost might be. This will be brought to the Council as soon as
it is available.
Attachment: Organized Collection Flow Chart (from League of Mimiesota Cities Information
Memo: City Solid Waste Management)
2
Appendix A: Organized Collection Flowchart
City council provides notice of its
intent to consider organized
collection to the public and to all
licensed solid waste collectors.
City exclusively negotiates with its licensed collectors for at least 60 days to see if an agreement for organized collection
can be reached. Before exclusive negotiations begin, elected officials and participating licensed collectors must meet and
discuss waste collection issues, including, but not limited to: road deterioration, public safety, pricing mechanisms, and
contractual considerations unique to organized collection.
Collectors reach an agreement and provide
city council with a proposal for organized
collection.
City council provides
public notice and holds
a public hearing on the
proposal.
City council approves proposal
and decides to implement
organized collection. Any
initial agreement reached must
be in effect for seven years.
City council rejects
collectors' proposal.
City council implements
organized collection according to
the agreement. Organized
collection may begin no sooner
than six months after the
effective date of the city
council's decision to implement
organized collection.
Collectors do not City council decides
reach an not to implement
agreement. organized collection.
City council adopts a resolution to
establish a committee to identify,
examine, evaluate, and seek input
regarding various methods of organized
collection. The committee is subject to the
open meeting law.
The committee studies organized
collection and issues a report with its
findings and recommendations.
City council considers the
report.
After city council provides public notice
and holds a public hearing, it decides to
implement organized collection.
Organized collection may begin no
sooner than six months after the effective
date of the city council's decision to
implement organized collection.
City council decides not
to implement organized
collection.
League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 6/9/2022
City Solid Waste Management Page 19