Title
Establishing the 60-day negotiation period between the City of Saint Paul and licensed residential trash collectors as per Minnesota statute 115 A.94 Organized Collection.
Body
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statute 115 A.94 authorizes that a city may organize collection of trash, as a municipal service or by ordinance, franchise, license, negotiated or bidded contract, or other means, using one or more collectors or an organization of collectors; and
WHEREAS, on February 24, 2016, the Saint Paul City Council passed a resolution (RES 16-337) directing the Saint Paul Department of Public Works to solicit input from residents using a variety of techniques in order to develop draft goals and objectives for implementing a system of organized trash collection within the City of Saint Paul; and,
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Department of Public Works conducted a public information campaign utilizing a variety of tools to collect information including a survey on Open Saint Paul; a written survey; general information on the city’s web page; notice to traditional, local media outlets; promotion through social media including the city’s Facebook page and Twitter account; paid social media to targeted zip codes; articles on city council and district council websites and news outlets; printed brochures available at all libraries and district council offices; a direct mail piece; direct outreach and focus groups through trusted multi-cultural community organizations; and one-on-one conversations with current Saint Paul residential licensed trash collectors and at several community meetings and events; and
WHEREAS, on June 1, 2016, the Saint Paul City Council accepted the report Organized Trash Collection in Saint Paul: Report on Community Input and Draft Goals and Objectives from the Saint Paul Department of Public Works and conducted a public hearing regarding the goals outlined in the resolution (RES PH 16-174); and,
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statute 115A.94 subd. 4d of the statute requires that a city or town with more than one licensed collector must notify the public and all residential licensed collectors in the community of the city’s intent to consider organized collection. The city must also provide a 60-day period in which meetings and negotiations shall occur exclusively between the currently licensed collectors to develop a proposal to collect solid waste from designated sections of the city. This proposal shall include city identified priorities including issues related to zone creation, traffic, safety, environmental performance, service provided, and price, and shall reflect existing haulers maintaining their respective market share of business as determined by each hauler’s average customer count during the six months prior to the commencement of the 60-day negotiation period; and,
WHEREAS, based on the information received through community feedback and prior values expressed, the City seeks to implement an Organized Trash Collection (OTC) system with the following priorities (in no particular order within categories):
Must Achieve
• Provide customer service that is consistent across the city and includes ability to talk to a customer service representative.
• Have only one hauler service residences on any given block.
• Require every household to have trash service. (see 4th bullet point below)
• Provide options for the disposal of bulky items such as appliances, mattresses, tires, etc., to reduce illegal dumping and the City’s cost of removing dumped items.
• Provide arrangements for pickup from less able-bodied residents.
• Improve access to information for non-English speakers.
• Create routes that fairly recognize differing neighborhood characteristics and challenges.
• Maintain opportunities for small, local, minority and women-owned trash haulers.
• Support living wage jobs and labor peace agreements.
• Provide stable, equitable, and uniform rates for residents throughout the city.
• Realize greater efficiencies to reduce costs for a majority of residents.
• Provide prices for different size containers.
• Create routes that minimize the use of fuel and air pollution and reduce wear and tear on streets and alleys.
• Provide meaningful financial incentives to residents to recycle more and divert organic material from the waste stream.
• Process trash at Ramsey Washington Recycling and Energy Center.
• Design service such that organics collection can be added in the near future.
Would like to achieve
• Provide options for the disposal of yard waste
• Provide option to increase amount of material removed (i.e. extra bag).
• Coordinate trash and recycling collection days.
• Provide options for shared service and temporary suspension of service.
• Use trucks that utilize best environmental fuel technology (i.e. biogas, compressed natural gas).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council has designated August 15, 2016, as the official date to begin the required 60-day period of exclusive negotiations between existing licensed collectors and the City;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Saint Paul City Council approves the City of Saint Paul Priorities document that will be used during the negotiations with the existing licensed residential collectors; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Saint Paul City Council authorizes City staff to work with the existing licensed residential collectors as per the requirements of Minnesota Statute 115A.94 subd.4d; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City shall negotiate in good faith with the existing licensed residential collectors as per the Minnesota Statute toward a mutually agreed upon proposal for consideration by the Saint Paul City Council.