HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 4/9/2024 - Memorandum From Megan Demasters And Emily Wegner Re: Q1 2024 Update On Transition Towards Contracted Residential Waste Collection ProgramEnvironmental Services Department
222 Laporte avenue
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO,80522
970-221-6600
1
MEMORANDUM
DATE: April 2, 2024
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
THRU: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Jacob Castillo, Chief Sustainability Officer
Josh Birks, Deputy Director Sustainability Services
FROM: Megan DeMasters, Manager, Environmental Services
Emily Wenger, Contracting program manager, Environmental Services
SUBJECT: Q1 2024 Update on Transition Towards Contracted Residential Waste Collection
Program
Bottom Line: This memo shares key updates from the last quarter with City Council on the
transition towards the City’s Contracted Residential Waste Collection program. Highlights from
the last quarter include:
• The establishment of the dedicated City of Fort Collins customer service phone number,
where community members can call and receive support on cart selection and have
questions about the City program answered.
• Republic and Environmental Services staff have been hosting cart ordering events
throughout the City to support in-person cart ordering, where community members can
see sample Recycling and Yard trimmings to carts to get a sense of the best cart size to
order to meet their needs.
• City staff completed the HOA exemption process early in January and are in the
process of reviewing Household variance applications for eligible households.
Project update:
Customer Service
A stated goal of the City’s Contracted Residential Trash and Recycling program is to provide a
high level of customer service. This includes a dedicated City of Fort Collins Customer
Response Center (CRC) and specific program number (970 416 2012) answered by Republic
customer service representatives who understand the Fort Collins’ program. Currently, the focus
of this customer service pod is to support community members with cart ordering, opting out of
the program and answering general questions.
Once the contract begins, City Environmental Services staff will receive reports on a quarterly
basis with detailed information on customer service. Key data points that will be included are:
• # of calls received during the reporting period
• Average hold time per call
Cart Selection
DocuSign Envelope ID: A5A9335C-0851-4A1C-89DD-7A56E67103FE
Environmental Services Department
222 Laporte avenue
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO,80522
970-221-6600
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In accordance with the City’s Pay-As-You-Throw ordinance, rates are based on the size of trash
cart each resident selects and includes weekly recycling collection, seasonal weekly yard
trimmings collection and collection of two eligible bulky items per year. Residents are
automatically enrolled in the 95-gallon cart size for yard trimmings and weekly recycling, but can
opt-in to the 65-gallon cart size.
Residents are being asked to complete their cart selection by April 30th. The latest report from
Republic shared close to 8,000 residents have selected carts. Current Republic customers that
do not select their cart size will automatically be enrolled into the cart that matches their current
level of service while those that are not already Republic customers automatically be enrolled in
the “Small” (35-gallon) trash cart. Cart selection can be completed the following ways:
• Scan either the English or Spanish QR code on the cart ordering postcard.
• Visit Republic’s webpage or email FortCollinsCartSelection@republicservices.com .
• Call the Fort Collins program specific number: (970) 416-2012
• Visit Republic staff at one of the many in-person cart ordering events throughout town.
Opting out of City’s Service
State regulation (Code of Colorado Regulations CRS 30-15-401(7.5)(b) allows municipalities in
Colorado to charge an opt-out fee to anyone who wishes to use a different hauler than the
awarded contractor. Households will still be able to hire their own company for waste hauling
services even after the contracted program begins but will need to pay an opt-out fee of
$11.10/per month. The City of Fort Collins charges an opt-out fee to provide a baseline of
predictable revenue for the contracted hauler so that we can negotiate a cost-effective price for
the contracted service.
Community members who choose their own hauler or choose to self-haul can opt-out of the City
program by completing the opt-out form provided by Republic Services. Information about
opting out can be found on their webpage at: https://www.republicservices.com/municipality/fort-
collins-co.
Exceptions to paying the Opt-Out fee
The City ordinance (NO 054, 2023) allows for two possible exceptions to paying the opt-out fee.
First, is through the Group account exemption process (completed last year) and the Household
variance process.
Group Account/HOA Exemption Process: Homeowners Associations (HOAs) with contracts that
were signed and in effect before April 28th, 2023, had the ability to apply for an exemption from
the City’s contracted service. Application review began during June and HOAs had until
12/31/2023 to apply for an exemption. A full report details the process and results.
DocuSign Envelope ID: A5A9335C-0851-4A1C-89DD-7A56E67103FE
Environmental Services Department
222 Laporte avenue
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO,80522
970-221-6600
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Household Variance Process: These variances allow individual households to apply for an
exemption from the $11.10 monthly opt-out fee. Households may submit applications for
variances if:
o They are very low trash producers and wish to share the XS (35-gallon cart
picked up every 2 weeks) cart service with another household. In this case, one
household would apply for the variance; the City would review the application,
and once granted, the two households would decide how to split the cost of the
XS cart service between themselves.
o They regularly have more trash than the XL (two 95-gallon carts) cart service can
accommodate. In this case, the household may apply for a variance; the City
would review the application and once granted, could contract dumpster service
with the provider of their choosing or haul their own trash and recycling to the
appropriate facilities.
The initial deadline for community members to complete variance applications is March 31st to
allow for residents to order carts on time if their variance request is denied. Residents may
apply online using this form. Variance applications will be open on an ongoing basis, but
residents who apply after March 31st may not receive a variance before the City’s program
begins.
Changes to the Cart Manufacturer
Republic and City staff collaborated and determined that it would be best for the program to
switch from Schaefer to Rehrig to manufacture carts. The switch was determined to be best to
ensure that carts would be ordered, designed, and deployed on time. This switch does not
impact pricing, cart sizes available, or colors of the carts.
In coordination with the Purchasing department, staff are finalizing amendments to the contract
that will reflect this change.
What to expect during Q2 of 2024:
• Continued community outreach with Republic to complete cart ordering.
• Coordination with Republic and other haulers to develop a plan for deployment of new
city program carts and pick-up of legacy carts.
• Collaborative outreach event at the Sustainable Living Association’s Earth Day event on
Saturday April 20th featuring the EV trash truck.
Additional Background:
On April 18, 2023, City Council adopted ordinance NO 054, 2023 allowing for the establishment
of a City-wide residential waste collection program. For a price similar to what residents pay for
only trash and recycling now, the program includes trash, weekly recycling, seasonal yard
trimmings and two bulky item collections per year. The program is designed to achieve the
project goals, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, decrease in street
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Environmental Services Department
222 Laporte avenue
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO,80522
970-221-6600
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maintenance impacts, increase in waste diversion from the landfill, and equitable pricing across
the community. It is also aligned with:
• Council Priority to Accelerate Zero Waste Infrastructure
• City Strategic Plan Environmental Health 1: Execute the Our Climate Future Plan to
advance the City's greenhouse gas, energy, and waste goals, and reduce air pollution to
improve community resilience
• Our Climate Future Big Move 2: Zero Waste Neighborhoods
• City Plan Principle Env 5: Create a Zero Waste System
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