BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL RECEIVES FURTHER INFORMATION ON CITY-BIG SANITATION AGREEMENT
City of Brenham officials dug deeper today (Thursday) into the details of a prospective agreement between the city and Brannon Industrial Group (BIG) to outsource sanitation operations.
Brenham City Councilmembers met with officials from both the city and BIG in workshop session to further explain some of the inner workings of the agreement, which calls for BIG to take over the city’s municipal solid waste collection, disposal, and recycling services.
Topics covered at the workshop included the new rates residents and commercial businesses can expect for curbside trash pickup and recycling, operation of the collection/transfer station, and costs the city will need to work through as part of this transition.
Public Works Director Dane Rau said the city is moving in this direction as it can no longer maintain operations the way they are currently running.
The new BIG rates for residential trash and recycling services will average out to $14 a month, $13 for senior citizens. The rates go up from the city’s rates of $13.75 a month, $11 for senior citizens. The rate will remain the same even if homeowners decide to opt out of recycling and give their recycling carts back to BIG.
The new rates cover once-per-week curbside trash pickup with a 96-gallon cart—or 65-gallon cart for disabled or senior citizens—and curbside recycling pickup once every two weeks. Citizens will need to put their trash inside regular trash bags, which will then go inside the carts. There will also be a new $15 charge for any call-in brush pickup, per occurrence.
Rau noted that for residential recycling pickup, glass will not be accepted in the curbside carts, as when the glass is compacted, it damages the rubber gaskets in the recycling trucks and affects other recyclable materials. Glass recycling will still be accepted at the collection/transfer station for a fee.
Regulations will be put into place to prevent homeowners from leaving their trash bins out all days of the week. If someone’s cart is stolen or damaged, BIG will be responsible for replacing it. There will also be a cart assistance program for elderly or disabled residents who may be unable to move their carts.
For commercial customers, Rau said they can expect about a 7 percent increase for commercial solid waste costs, but the rate should still be comparable to other cities. Costs for once-a-week pickup—using either two, four, six, or eight-yard dumpsters—range from $70 per month to $114 per month. For recycling, an eight-yard dumpster will be provided, along with once-a-week pickup. Recycling costs will be factored separately from trash pickup.
Hours at the collection/transfer station will remain the same: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. BIG will be responsible for the payment of all utility bills for the facility, as well as the billing of users for any services provided there. There will also be recycling drop-off stations provided at the facility for Washington County residents and local businesses, for a proposed annual fee of $45, the same as city residents.
Brush disposal costs per ton at the station will increase for commercial businesses, from $22.50 to $32.50. All other service costs will remain the same or decrease. Compactible waste disposal costs per ton will also increase from $45.50 to $48.
City Manager James Fisher stated the city should expect an 18-month transition period as each facet of sanitation services transfers to BIG, and whatever changes are made should be fully implemented by the Fiscal Year budget of 2023.
Fisher also said the city’s general fund will be negatively impacted over the next two to three years by just under $200,000. The city will receive $120,000 per year by leasing the collection/transfer station, will receive a 7 percent franchise fee on recycling, and will not need to pay for its own sanitation services at city facilities. However, that will be offset by the loss of sanitation’s shared service transfer, expected to cost the city $351,000. Since BIG has its own internal administrative departments such as human resources and information technology, it will not need to use the city’s administrative departments, which the city’s sanitation department utilized.
The city will also need to pay property taxes on the collection/transfer station. Fisher said, while the city will be able to bridge the impact to the general fund through the sale of equipment, that funding will be a one-time revenue source, whereas the aforementioned costs affect the city annually.
Fisher said the city will need to figure out how to overcome this “deficit” of roughly $200,000 over the next few years. He recommended looking into examining personnel costs such as healthcare, outsourcing additional services—specifically naming street services—without affecting day to day operations, and reviewing its current interlocal agreements.
Fisher noted the city would have looked into these costs even if the outsourcing of sanitation was not on the table, as the city is currently juggling several capital projects. He said he is confident the city will be able to find savings over the next two to three years to minimize the direct impact of the transition on the budget.
The commercial portion of the contract with BIG will come before council at its meeting next Thursday, with the residential and collection station contracts coming in the spring.
This is NOT CITY MANAGEMENTS FAULT! It is the City Council’s fault for allowing it! The Council has approved this months ago when they unanimously voted to approve the budget for 2020. It was in the Budget since before October of 2019! It’s funny that we only hear from City Management but not one public comment from the City Council or Mayor…. VOTE THEM OUT.. Just remember when the City Council has more than 96 gallons of trash in a week, they will definitely get preferential treatment by BIG! THE CITY GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CARE WHAT YOU THINK! They have lost sight of why we are incorporated at all… Basics such as Police, Fire, Electricity, Water and Sanitation… NOT parks, playgrounds, baseball fields, electric car chargers, Artsy Fartsy Zoned Districts etc….
Right now, we receive trash pickup twice a week. If our pickup day happens to fall on a holiday, we do not receive pickup on that day nor do we have a catchup day. If we are forced to become part of this new trash pickup company, what happens if our day falls on a holiday? Will the new company play catchup and pick up our route as well as their regular route? Or will we be forced to wait two weeks for pickup. Mind you, this is a BIG deal in the summer. Also, what is the benefit if we lose one day of pickup and will be charged more than we are now?
Citizens of Brenham
First I would like to say thank you for all the comments concerning the proposed changes with our Sanitation Services. We all realize that this is a big change and have spent several years now evaluating all options regarding residential service, recycling, commercial pickup, and disposal options. As a lifelong member of this community and spending 17 yrs with the City of Brenham with all of those years working directly in Sanitation or managing Sanitation operations I am very saddened to see all these negative comments regarding our leadership at the City of Brenham. This proposed change in services was not decided on overnight or without evaluating all options. It was also very thought out with how changing services would affect our citizens with the least financial impact.
For the past 5 years we have struggled with staffing all levels of this service especially on the residential route which consist of 2 riders per truck. It has taken a toll on our department along with other departments in the city that have had to cover those duties when riders are not present. We have risen the rate of these hourly positions and still no consistently with securing these positions on a day to day basis. The days are gone where collection riders are willing to ride 6-8 hours in extreme weather conditions to pick up bagged garbage even with increasing hourly rates. With expanded development on new subdivisions the City would need to add a 3rd truck to their route and look for additional laborers in which we cannot consistently staff on 2 trucks currently. We have lost valuable full time employees who have had to fill in or cover duties of others when riders were not present. This model can not continue. With this situation we are left with no other option than look at cart service in Brenham like many other cities have transitioned too.
The other area that has led to this proposed service change is on our recycling side of operations. Our Recycling Center is very popular and we understand that. Once materials are dropped off the separation and preparation of these materials are labor intensive and due to the low market value that is received back on these products we have seen deficits of $50,000-$100,000 annually. Moving to single stream curbside recycling will increase recycling tonnages and should be considered even more convenient for city residents. Options for non-city residents will still be offered by BIG at the Collection Station at a fee. These services can no longer be subsidized by the City of Brenham or the provider and must have a user fee associated with it similar to what city residents are offered. With all of these factors it was beneficial to look at outsourcing these operations and offering the Citizens of Brenham the best value we could receive on curbside residential and recycling services at the lowest rate. Requests for proposals were sent to 5 companies with 4 received. Many options were put in the proposals considering keeping twice per week pickup using cart service. These rates were well over the $20 per month rate and industry standards have shown when curbside recycling is added that once per week residential trash collection utilizing carts for both services is the most effective and can be obtained at a very reasonable rate. With the 4 proposals received it was evident that BIG submitted the best RFP for our local citizens not only on the residential and recycling curbside pickup but also on operating the Collection Station with very comparable rates to what is currently offered. All of this information was shared with our Council and a decision was made to enter into a contract with a local company who pays taxes in our community, donates back to our community and has a huge investment in both the City and County. We will be glad to share all of this with anyone to show transparency which is the upmost importance to our City Manager and Council.
I urge all to stay patient even though this is a significant change in services. Many towns have had to move in this direction and it has worked out. I also urge all who have concerns to come visit with me or our staff to better understand the situation that led us to this decision rather than post negative comments about this change. We care for this great community and there is no other city I would rather work for or represent. We are a vibrant town and change does occur and will continue to occur. Please give me a call, stop by City Hall or I will also be glad to come by your residence and discuss this transition.
Dane Rau
Director of Public Works
City of Brenham
(979) 337-7407
Increased hourly wages? Yeah right! The city pays its workers horribly, while all the top people get richer. Six figure wages for
Top people,while workers struggle and have to work second jobs to make ends meet. Believe me, I have worked for the city in the past. City does not take care of
It’s personnel, unless your a director, city manager, or an assistant. Poor wages creates turnover. That’s transparency
I think change is hard but this will work out well. I moved from Round Rock and they offered once a week pick up and curbside recycling. It encourages people to recycle who wouldn’t otherwise because of the convenience. I also understand a lot of towns have stopped recycling programs all together because they are not cost effective. I really appreciate the city working to keep a recycling program going.
While I appreciate the Director of Public Works’s comment, including his comment urging ‘all to stay patient,’ that sounds a bit like a plea to ask us to be patient while the City of Brenham prepares to lower the services it provides to its citizens and raises the prices for those services.
The challenge of finding, securing, and keeping hourly workers is not a new phenomenon (and here’s a News Flash, it will continue to be,…ask the Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Jack-in-the Box, McDonald’s, HEB, or any farmer/rancher, etc. how they deal with it). That problem is not new and it’s not going away.
It’s important to note, the City of Brenham and all of its employees work for us, the taxpaying citizens. You’re spending our money. We expect and we demand value for OUR money. Just because costs go up or have been for 5 years doesn’t mean a city throws in the towel and says, “Let’s do what other cities are doing,” (or something like that).
In his comment, the Director of Public Works states, “For the past 5 years we have struggled with staffing all levels of this service especially on the residential route which consist of 2 riders per truck. It has taken a toll on our department along with other departments in the city that have had to cover those duties when riders are not present. We have risen the rate of these hourly positions and still no consistently with securing these positions on a day to day basis. The days are gone where collection riders are willing to ride 6-8 hours in extreme weather conditions to pick up bagged garbage even with increasing hourly rates. With expanded development on new subdivisions the City would need to add a 3rd truck to their route and look for additional laborers in which we cannot consistently staff on 2 trucks currently. We have lost valuable full time employees who have had to fill in or cover duties of others when riders were not present. This model can not continue. With this situation we are left with no other option than look at cart service in Brenham like many other cities have transitioned too.”
As a citizen who is paying for this service, my comment is simple, “Prove it. Show us the money.” Present the financial landscape of this issue in a Council Meeting with enough notice to allow concerned citizens to schedule to take time off from work so we can attend the Council Meeting, listen to the presentation, and ask questions to understand.
Rising costs within a municipal entity like the City of Brenham is the price of admission. We all deal with it in our corporate and private worlds. Creativity and forward thinking are required, and it should start with something like, “How can we keep the services to our citizens the same, or possibly increase the services to our citizens, for the same or lower cost by employing creativity and innovation?” And the answer shouldn’t necessarily be, “…other cities have done the same thing we’re about to do here, and that’s as creative as we thought to be.”
At some level, this is a question about trust. Moving forward, when the city faces another issue of rising costs (News Flash, it will,…in fact it possibly already is), will the City’s answer to anything that ends up reaching some “unacceptable level of expense” that is not transparent to its citizens end up leading to the City deciding to lower the services level and increase the price to our citizens in some way?
Seems like that’s the track the City Council is on right now.
The City should present this entire issue to the citizens in a City Council meeting, and the City Council should listen to its citizens.
I agree with Concerned Citizen. If the city wants to be transparent as Mr. Rau indicates, then go ahead and post those high hourly wages you’re paying the garbage collectors. Also, what is preventing the city from purchasing trucks that operate the same as BIG trucks? I’m just curious. It seems like the city would have people falling all over themselves wanting to apply for those driver jobs.
Amen, very well said! The city should have made sure this was all over the news months ago, not days before they are ready to sign on the dotted line.. When there is no transparency, people will always assume you have something to hide, even if your motives are pure. This is a huge deal with terms that appear very unfavorable for taxpayers. They should have brought the citizens into this discussion a long time ago. Is Mr. Rau really shocked that everyone is responding so negatively after being informed of this decision at the last minute with no opportunity to provide input?
Y’all, this boils down to a passive Council that allows the City Manager to tell them what to do without questioning him. In this case, he is telling them to give this sweetheart deal to his long-time friend, who happens to be the owner of BIG. Did he show them any proposals from other companies, not owned by one of his friends, before he told them to give this deal to BIG? Did he show them alternatives that would allow the city to continue providing trash services? I’m guessing not. Maybe KWHI should ask them on the record before they vote on this.
The city’s entire excuse for “needing” to do this is that they can’t find garbage truck workers. Let’s pretend that’s really what’s happening. The labor shortage in Brenham applies to low-level jobs that don’t pay a living wage, not steady jobs that pay bills. How much are you trying to pay trash collectors? 9 or 10 bucks an hour like the other city employees who don’t sit at a desk? Maybe try paying 15 or even 20 dollars an hour instead of throwing up your hands and selling off irreplaceable city infrastructure. Look at what these people in City Hall are paying themselves, it is disgusting. Don’t tell me there isn’t money for staffing. Get rid of just one of the MANY bureaucrats making 6 figure salaries, and I bet you can afford to hire some reliable sanitation workers. Or cut the salary of the Public Works Director in half, since he just gave away half his work.
We need to show up at the next meeting and demand an explanation from our elected officials (NOT their City Manager who always seems to answer questions directed to them). Can the people we elected to make decisions actually explain what is happening and why? Can they explain the math? Can they look us in the eye and tell us that selling off the station that makes our self-sufficiency possible is the only viable solution to a staffing problem?
City staff members have clearly already determined that trash and recycling isn’t going to be their responsibility anymore, and there probably isn’t anything we can do to stop the outsourcing. At the very least we need to demand that the city keeps the dump in this deal. The city should be operating the station and should continue to charge BIG and all the other local companies who use it. There is no reason why BIG needs to have that station to themselves in order to collect trash in Brenham, they just want it. Of course they do. It will allow them to drive out their competition in the area, because now they can overcharge them for using the station or refuse to let them use it at all. That missing revenue council is going to have to scramble to make up for? That’s what the city has been getting by charging trash companies for using our station. Now we are just giving it to BIG and allowing THEM to charge other companies for using OUR station that we paid for with our taxes. Meanwhile our trash rates go up, our service goes down, and we don’t have anything to show for it because all the “savings” from the cut in service is going to a private company instead of the city treasury! This deal stinks worse than the dump.
Very well said! I also do thank the young man on his response and trying to clarify all the reasons why this is needed at this time but still many questions and if the deficit happened over night it would of been an option for the community to come together and with all the donations thrown out time and time again I’m sure the citizens would of stepped up rather then have a drastic change that once it’s signed there’s no turning back!
I’m not sure which excuses are worse or stinky from the city management or the sign stealing trash can beating with BIG bats…
Either way the trash has to be picked up and the Astros will go on! Thanks
Fellow citizens, it is about benefits. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing and government and private concerns are feeling the pinch. Employees may contribute, but the employers portion is far more. More and more institutions contract service jobs out because it cost far less in many ways. The same reason why large business hires mostly part time positions, to avoid paying benefits. As cities grow, the demands on the services they supply increase. More of everything is required. Did you know that our hospital and Kruse village outsource food service for the very same reasons? These are the results of the capitalists society which is loved by so many.
BOB’s I am sick if you bringing your big government ideas and implementing your costly impractical expensive big city concepts here. Then on top of it all you criticize the older Brenham Generation. It only shows your big city ignorance and rudeness. I respect my old-timer citizens since they are the ones that have had the common sense and brains to give us original Brenham
Thank you HOSPITALITY….
I have news for you. The Council that is authorizing this is composed of people born and raised here. All of you elitist long-time residents are thick as thieves. Why don’t you go give them the secret BIB handshake and ask them what they are thinking? This isn’t the doing of outsiders. Those of us who have been out of Brenham’s little bubble have more sense than to hand over public property to a private company.
It appears that as a county resident who recycles to avoid overfilling landfills, pays for each bag of non-recyclable trash I drop off myself that I am now better off to stop recycling and just pay for trash pick up. Paying more money for us to do more work on the city’s behalf just doesn’t make sense. It has never been convenient for us, but it just keeps getting worse.
At what age does the city refer to as a senior citizen?
Fellow citizens, it is about benefits. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing and government and private concerns are feeling the pinch. Employees may contribute, but the employers portion is far more. More and more institutions contract service jobs out because it cost far less in many ways. The same reason why large business hires mostly part time positions, to avoid paying benefits. As cities grow, the demands on the services they supply increase. More of everything is required. Did you know that our hospital and Kruse village outsource food service for the very same reasons? These are the results of the capitalists society which is loved by so many. Take the time to look at governments actual budgets, they are online at websites. Cities us easy to find, the county is not. Look at where the big bucks are spent on non necessities.
This whole deal is nothing short of a New York mafia scam. “You need my services, and this is what it’s going to cost you “. Looks to me like a lose, lose plan for everyone, but Big.
There’s a issue of Civic Pride in our City that concerns me too. Many receptacles will remain at the curbside, line the streets and so on & be a eyesore when emptied. My street runs all the way to 290 & I can envision how ugly my street will be. Its gonna happen !!!! Too many citizens work away from Brenham…& many work here…have families & they don’t need another thing at the end of the day to do…like bring a heavy trash container from the curb. Many of the receptacles will remain at the curb for days , blow into the street. …..or get run over & cost the HO to replace. .Many physically cannot maneuver the receptacle to & from the curb. Who’s going to lend a helping hand to those citizens ? The employees from the Sanitation dept.have done exceptional job every trash p/u day & I have no gripes about their service & comments here appear many folks are just as pleased. I just don’t want my street & City streets covered w/ trash bins. Yes a growing City needs to progress w/the changing population but there’s many other ways to attract new citizens other than trash Receptacles. That was mentioned by the City that other cities are doing this to keep up w/ changing times. The use of Garbage receptacles would NOT be at the top of my list &: others as well whether to move to Brenham or not. I love my town & want to keep the fun & beauty that lures families here…..like baseball, bluebonnets & friendly folks. That’s what we’re known for. Yep words here from a Born In Brenham & I’m a very proud BIB .
Proud BOB here, Pat did you read the article? All I read in your comment is a bunch of hot air and FAKE NEWS.
Example 1
Pat: “Many receptacles will remain at the curbside, line the streets and so on & be a eyesore when emptied.”
Article “Regulations will be put into place to prevent homeowners from leaving their trash bins out all days of the week.”
Pat, FAKE NEWS
Example 2
Pat:” Many of the receptacles will remain at the curb for days , blow into the street. …..or get run over & cost the HO to replace.”
Article:” If someone’s cart is stolen or damaged, BIG will be responsible for replacing it.”
Pat again FAKE NEWS.
Example 3
Pat:”Many physically cannot maneuver the receptacle to & from the curb. Who’s going to lend a helping hand to those citizens ?”
Article:”There will also be a cart assistance program for elderly or disabled residents who may be unable to move their carts.”
Pat, stop spreading FAKE NEWS address real issues.
MR. BOB, i respectfully challenge your examples. Pat makes some very valid points. I am also a BOB, but have been in Brenham for over twenty years and love it. The cities I have lived in before had these “corporate” garbage services with laws about removing bins after the garbage was picked up, Those rules were hard to enforce and seldom worked which means Pat’s scenario while not fake news is a likely and predicted outcome. When a bin is lost or destroyed, BIG may be responsible to replace it, but how long will it take? My experience has been that it takes a long time and they refuse to pick up your trash until the new bin arrives. I would be careful to dismiss Pat’s statements, I personally think they are very predictable outcomes.
Brenham was once viewed as a leader in waste disposal because of our great recycling center and our awesome ability to take yard waste and turn it into a usable product. Our waste disposal is done well with a reasonable attempt to minimize impact on our environment. Maybe we could tweak that some, but to get rid of it is a huge mistake that will harm our citizens and our environment.
Some here are referring to the costs of benefits being the reason for this chance. Please realize that BIG will have to provide benefits to their employees and will be carrying the same costs but must also make a profit, that profit will come from us the citizens. I would rather the waste services carry a small deficit that is made up by us the taxpayers than to pay the entire cost plus the required profit BIG will have to make in order to remain here and be sustainable. This is a bad deal for our citizens and the City Counsel needs to stand up for us and stop it.
As a twenty year citizen of Brenham, I don’t like the new direction of the city, all the big spending and huge programs that will make this another high tax haven like many other cities. I miss Terry Roberts who ran our city in a very conservative way with respect for the tax payers.
brenham had someone picking up thrash when I was young I believe the man and his sons whose last name was Moko or muco anyway what happened with that deal this was like 60 years ago
Where is the Spectator on this? Usually he emerges at the times like this. The little guy and families are losing big in this city deal with BIG. Spectator where are you to help? This injustice at city hall, to charge more money for fewer services, is what the spectator has battled for many decades. The city management is into listening and the city council is hiding behind the management. We need help!!!
Mr. Lampe…we have asked the City to explain the benefit of this change. So far it appears to be a negative for both the City and its citizens. Hopefully we will hear something early next week. Surely we are missing something.
The Spectator
Thanks for digging.
How can a city that has money budgeted for new splash pads, multi-million dollar sales tax breaks for new Highway 290 shopping centers, elaborate new police stations and animal control facilities, summer “free” Hot Night Cool Tunes concert series, new city parks, a massive budget for a tourism office, a new monthly “drainage fee” added to water bills implemented last month, a lucrative city-owned electrical utility system, a payroll of hundreds of city office employees, as well as a huge property tax we all pay… with all of that… how does the City of Brenham still need to do something as drastic as sell off the most popular and successful local service of residential trash pick up?
Who sets these priorities? The unelected city management or elected city council?
The working people and retired people who live and pay the majority of taxes simply want to keep getting the services they’re now currently receiving with twice weekly trash pick up using simple bags.
There is overwhelming support for the current trash pick up system. No one in my work place or neighborhood wants to see this change. Will anyone in an elected city office listen? I work and cannot get to a city council meeting held in the middle of the day but I hope some person will attend this next city council meeting to at least get in the public record that there is opposition to this contract being signed.
City of Brenham taxpayers are about to get less services, more inconvenient methods of collecting, and a higher monthly price. And future rate hikes will be set by a company instead of an elected council. It just isn’t right.
I can speak up for the free Hot Nights, Cool Tunes concerts. They are free to the public because they are mostly funded by generous sponsoring businesses. They would not happen without sponsors.
Good comments. but it really does not matter the city will do what ever they want. Your city representivies do not care what you think. The only way to stop this is to drain the city swamp. Vote them out. Good luck But I know you will not win.
no matter what is said the city council will do what they want to do without thinking of the burden out on taxpayers, especially those on a fixed income. I guess the only way to stop them in on election day.
Hi we live in college station and they use bvr for there curb side recycling which includes glass they pick with a truck why does the city of brenham not try to talk to them for recycling might be cheaper.
It is the same company. BIG owns BVR.
Steven, I agree. This needs to be voted on. I believe the first outsourced item to vote in will be, “City Manager and City Management. I’ll move back into the City Limits like a lot of City Manager, “want-a-be’s”. Just to vote on that. Why, “Because, let’s outsource, starting from the top, that is where all the money is being spent, and we can start running the city like a real efficient business.”
How can Brenham make this deal with a $351,000 deficit ?? Never fly in Corporate America but City Manager doesn’t seem to care …….,,,,
Residents need to fill the room at the next City Council meeting, Feb 20th at 1p.m.. Make sure our voices are heard !!
The city is only doing what numerous other cities and public entities have been forced to do. Take Blinn college for example. At one time all Blinn service jobs were on the college payroll, and eligible for all state benefits. No more. For nearly two decades, food services, grounds care, cleaning have all been outsourced. This was done at the urging of our state representatives to save money, especially in healthcare benefits. Landfills are more costly than ever, and recycling costs go up. No one will buy recycled colored plastics and more, they go to landfills.
County residents do not pay the very high city property taxes and should not receive city services for free. Not so many years ago there were no options for county residents, they were on their own. Waste management is a costly process. Ask your county commissioners to give country folks some options, they won’t be free.
Great points, City Mouse! The mandated healthcare and retirement effects trickle down.
We will still have to use bags in the containers. I guess we won’t be getting the free delivered bags from the city and I’m sure BIG won’t be giving us free bags either.
This deals smells like a giant heap of garbage, probably the giant heap of garbage we will all have to keep at our house for a week while paying HIGHER RATES. This is so incredibly unacceptable. To add insult to injury, they want us to pay for recycling glass. The easily predicted result will be that citizens will stop recycling glass and simply throw it in the garbage. We are in the age of sustainability, and the city is taking us back to the past. Is our City Council not listening to us? It is obvious the city management is not listening. City Council, read the repeated comments on this page, WE DON’T WANT THIS EXPENSIVE GARBAGE COMPANY THAT GIVES US LESS SERVICES!!!!
The City needs to “figure out” how to overcome a deficit of $351,000?!!! It would be fiscally responsible to know BEFORE entering into an agreement with any third party contractor.
In years past profits from other parts of the utility services served to subsidize losses like this one. It may seem like a lot, but in the grand scheme of utilities, it is a very small deficit. This simply sounds like mismanagement on the part of the city administration and failure to find a way to make it work. It is easy to sell our citizens out to an outside company than to make this situation work for our citizens.
You could use the city managers salary that is around $170,000 a year to make up some of the deficit
So now we County residents will be charged $45 annually to drop off our recycle goods and BIG will make money on our recycle !!
This is NOT a good deal for Washington County residents.
This is not a good deal for anyone other than BIG. Glass will not be accepted at the curbside but can be taken to the collection station for a fee? Really? Does anybody really think that is going to happen? This will be the death of glass recycling in Brenham! It will all end up in the garbage instead. How sad!! This whole scheme seems like it was dreamed up in the halls of Congress instead of Brenham. It sounds like something out of Washington. On second thought, I think they would even reconsider this.
County residents have been getting free recycling services, paid for with taxes collected from city residents. Now you will have to pay your own way. Of course this isn’t a good deal for you. There are much bigger issues for city taxpayers here.
What about the long time city employees losing their jobs over this. I’m hoping they can be placed in other departments. Wonder if the council is thinking about these people.
This is a sweet deal for BIG and a big loss for the citizens of Brenham. Why isn’t a contract this big not out for competive bidding?
There is no one else.. that is what is so wrong about this! We are moving so fast toward the point of no return here.. once the city council approves this, we will never be able to provide our own trash utility again. I will guarantee the budget will not go down. Taxation without Representation.
Why CAN’T the city maintain it’s own service? It seems like more cost for less all around.
The customer pays more for trash pick up for once a week than for the current twice. As I read it, the city will then PAY to use the same facility we built with tax money and now own.
We will still use garbage bags anyway AND the heavy containers.
I see no advantage to the city or the users to sub it out. Beside it puts another layer of bureaucracy between consumer (taxpayers) issues and solving the potential problems. As it is, the City is directly responsible for the service, but putting in a third party makes accountability and satisfaction more difficult. I see the only benefit is to the third party contractor.
We have owned in the city for exactly 50 years and garbage and trash service has been quite satisfactory. As far as we are concerned, it ain’t broke.
I completely agree. The City of Brenham is lowering its services to our citizens while saddling us with additional costs, and padding the pockets of a 3rd Party. Who in the WORLD on the City of Brenham City Council thinks this is a good idea and WHY?!?! This is mind boggling!!!
The city council is failing to represent their constituents. The only reason to outsource a public utility would be to lower cost while keeping the same quality. In this case we are lowering quality with no cost saving for the taxpayer. Again our city council is failing us and we have to make a stand. Once they get rid of the sanitation trucks and equipment we will forever be locked into the third party. OUR CITY COUNCIL IS A FAILURE! VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE… but by then, there will be no turning back on trash service.
The FACT IS the CITY Can provide Utilities for Cost while a contractor has to have profit built in… Get ready for higher taxes, higher utilities, more trash on streets and parks, trash littering the county road ditches and very offensive smelly trash can lining the streets.
Also we need to find out how future rate increases will be decided? Can BIG company simply raise rates each year with no vote or city council approval? The rate is set by a private for-profit company who will charge more to collect the trash fewer times per week! What stops us from having constant increases? I hope the city council is not abdicating its responsibilities.
I’m disappointed at how deceptive the management has been. Half of the current residential sanitation services for an increase in cost.
The good deal about this deal is for BIG. Stop this Sham to the citizens of Brenham now. Third party contractors are nothing but away to hide money and cut jobs. If you are going to do this at least have the decency to put it up for a vote. Let’s have the people decide.
If the shared services from the city are no longer needed, then the city needs to cut staff from those supporting departments to recoup the $351,000.