Bloomington’s city staff will draft a resolution about outsourcing the city’s solid waste program to a private vendor, but that doesn’t mean the City Council is headed in that direction as it explores ways to close a $2.9 million budget deficit for fiscal 2019.
Aldermen unanimously agreed In a straw poll at Monday night’s council meeting to give interim City Manager Steve Rasmussen the green light to bring such a resolution to the council. That would allow the council to take a definitive vote on it.
"That’s a way of laying it rest," Rasmusssen told the council after Ward 7 Alderman Scott Black suggested the resolution, even though Black said he would vote against it.
"If it doesn’t get the votes then we know we won’t go in that direction," he added. "If it does then we can at least explore it. Frankly it doesn’t commit you to do that."
Rasmussen said he has had several private companies ask about whether the city was interested in privatizing its garbage collection services.
Prior to the straw poll, Bloomington Public Works Director Jim Karch told the council solid waste collection costs the city about $7.4 million a year. After fee revenue, the city needs to fill a $1.1 million gap, which is roughly a third of the total budget deficit, he said.
"Between personnel savings, vehicle savings and increased bulky waste collection charges at the curb, we should be able to fill that $1.1 million gap between the cost of delivering services and revenue collected," Karch told The Pantagraph before the meeting.
Karch said he wanted to focus on "reducing service levels to stay within the current fees" for weekly collection of trash and recyclable items.
Under that option, bulky waste would be collected at the curbside once in the spring and once in the fall instead of on the current schedule of every other week.
Aldermen unanimously agreed In a straw poll at Monday night’s council meeting to give interim City Manager Steve Rasmussen the green light to bring such a resolution to the council. That would allow the council to take a definitive vote on it.
"That’s a way of laying it rest," Rasmusssen told the council after Ward 7 Alderman Scott Black suggested the resolution, even though Black said he would vote against it.
"If the council votes that they don’t want to do that then we know we can come back with some other options," said Rasmussen. "Is there enthusiasm on the part of the council to do that? If so we can come back (with the resolution) at the next council meeting (Feb. 12)."
"If it doesn’t get the votes then we know we won’t go in that direction," he added. "If it does then we can at least explore it. Frankly it doesn’t commit you to do that."
Rasmussen said he has had several private companies ask about whether the city was interested in privatizing its garbage collection services.
Prior to the straw poll, Bloomington Public Works Director Jim Karch told the council solid waste collection costs the city about $7.4 million a year. After fee revenue, the city needs to fill a $1.1 million gap, which is roughly a third of the total budget deficit, he said.
Karch presented the council with three options to close that gap: increase fees, reduce service levels or outsource the program to a private vendor.
"Between personnel savings, vehicle savings and increased bulky waste collection charges at the curb, we should be able to fill that $1.1 million gap between the cost of delivering services and revenue collected," Karch told The Pantagraph before the meeting.
Karch said he wanted to focus on "reducing service levels to stay within the current fees" for weekly collection of trash and recyclable items.
Under that option, bulky waste would be collected at the curbside once in the spring and once in the fall instead of on the current schedule of every other week.
To read the full story, visit http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/government-and-politics/bloomington-discusses-privatizing-trash-collection/article_dc916e9b-4d1c-5fe5-8308-cbdf13b246e5.html.