COVID-19 and Your Trash

Trash pickup in Hendersonville has been... not great lately. According to the city’s provider, that’s because of COVID-19.

After receiving a record number of trash service complaints within the last couple of weeks, the city’s Public Works Committee held a special-called meeting on Monday to discuss the issue.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of life, including trash collection, Interim Public Works Director Marshall Boyd told committee members and several other aldermen who attended the meeting via Zoom.

“In the past couple of weeks, the number of complaints has reached levels we have never experienced and are never comfortable with,” said Boyd. He attributed the amount of complaints regarding missed trash pick-up to staffing issues with Waste Pro due to COVID-19.

 https://www.hendersonvillestandard.com/news/waste-pro-trash-delays-due-to-staffing-issues-related-to-covid-19/article_2d5e8640-ccd6-11ea-b6b8-1f4d20226628.html

Mayor Clary's Trash Talk

In response to sketchy service from new trash vendor WastePro, Hendersonville Mayor Jamie Clary posted the following letter:

A letter to Waste Pro representatives from Mayor Jamie Clary

This week many customers are receiving fliers that hang on their trash cans. These fliers appear to be placed there by WastePro employees. I appreciate the communication but disagree with items #1 and #4. I recall some committee conversations about these two issues, but I need to remind you that the operational expectations are guided by the contract and bid that were approved by the city’s board of mayor and aldermen.

The first item seems to claim that a 96-gallon trash can is too large to be serviced at the back door. Neither the contract nor the attachments supported this restriction. They do address height. Exhibit A, under “Containers larger than 42 inches in height”, states that containers taller than 42 inches must be placed at the curb. It does not address 96-gallon containers below that height.

Many residents in Hendersonville have 96-gallon containers that measure less than 42 inches. Those cans should be serviced at the back door. From the ground to the top of the cover on the front, those cans are 40 inches tall. The back of the trash can, from the ground to the top of the cover, is 41 inches tall. These cans should be serviced by WastePro per the contract with the City of Hendersonville.

Regarding item #4, many times I have said that WastePro employees must “find the can.” I have said that in several meetings that included WastePro representatives. If a homeowner has set a large item at the curb, WastePro employees still need to “find the can”. If the can is not visible from the road or one side of the house, WastePro crews need to “find the can”. I have said this many, many times. So, item #4 is not acceptable. Nor is it consistent with the contract. The trash containers do not have to be visible from the driveway side of homes.

I look forward to WastePro correcting these two items and abiding by the contract it signed with the City of Hendersonville.

The previous hauler did not have a problem with these items and did not seek to make these changes. Had the city board known of these changes prior to signing the current contract, I venture that the board would not have chosen WastePro.

If WastePro does not comply with the contractual obligations, as you know, the City has the opportunity to penalize the company.

City waste service is now only one day per week and there is still no plan on the table to offer citywide recycling.

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Trashy

This is the last week of Republic Services trash pickup in Hendersonville.

Next week, the city will move to once a week pickup offered by a new provider.

What's your experience with Republic?

When the new company starts, how will that go? Keep us posted in this time of transition.

Email us: newshendersonville@gmail.com

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews