Dewey approves town wide trash service
Beginning May 1, Dewey Beach will use the same trash and recycling vendor for all residential properties.
During their Feb. 11 meeting, town commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance changing town code to require all residential properties in town to use the contracted vendor. They also agreed to a 5-year contract with Millsboro-based Waste Industries to be that vendor.
“Welcome to the trash business,” said Town Manager Marc Appelbaum after the contract wording was agreed upon.
This code change and contract signing has been in the works more than 18 months and began, among other things, as a way to decrease trash truck traffic on pickup days. It’s been about a year since a trash and recycling committee was formed; the committee submitted their recommendations to the town a few months ago.
Under the new code, the minimum service collection frequency is twice weekly for trash and once weekly for recycling, from May 1 through Sept. 30. It is up to the property owner to contact Waste Industries.
The in-season rate is $27.32 per residence, per month. There will be a charge of $16 per month for each additional trash can and of $4 per month for each additional recycling can. There is an additional cost of $15 per residence for valet service, which is required for all residential rentals.
The rest of the year, Oct. 1 through April 30, the service is $23.32 per residence, per month and includes trash pickup once a week and recycling once every two weeks. There will be a charge of $11 per month for each additional trash can and of $3.75 per month for each additional recycling can. There is an additional cost of $10 per residence for valet service.
As of now, the one exception to the new rule is a property owner who can provide proof of an existing contract with another trash hauler that has an end date. If a property owner already has a contract at a better price with Waste Industries, that contract will be honored until it expires.
Pricing for multiunit residential properties was the one area of disagreement among the commissioners.
As approved, multiunit residences are allowed to choose the number of trash and recycling containers they receive from the vendor, but they’ll be charged the full price for each container per month – $27.32 – until the containers needed meet the number of units.
Mayor Dale Cooke and Appelbaum were surprised by this pricing schedule for multiunit residences.
Cooke said he was disappointed, but blamed himself for not understanding. “It’s my own fault,” he said.
Commissioner Courtney Riordan defended the pricing for multiunits, saying those property owners are getting a break in being able to choose the number of containers they use.
Residential properties owners who do not rent, do not have to have a contract with the vendor if they dispose of their trash and recycling by transporting it to an out-of-town location without the use of a trash collection service. If they need the service, they’re required to contact the town’s vendor.
Residential properties that are part of a mixed-use building – commercial on the bottom with residential above – can arrange to use the waste containers used by the commercial entity.
Commissioners also took out two portions of the draft ordinance – one that gave the town manager the ability to grant exceptions and instituted a $25 administrative fee.
Appelbaum said it’s important he has the ability to revisit the issues next year. This is a new ordinance, and the issues aren’t clear yet, he said.
For yard waste, property owners will have to contact Waste Industries on an as-needed basis. Material may be placed out in a personal container, bundles no more than 4 feet long, or biodegradable lawn and leaf bags. Branches and limbs may be no more than 4 inches in diameter.
During a meeting Feb. 10, former Commissioner David Jasinski complained the yard waste prices were too high.
“I think yard waste was forgotten about during this process,” he said.
The draft contract with Waste Industries called for $10 for the first bag of yard waste and $2.50 for each additional bag.
Pat Luce, Waste Industries government contract manager, came to the Feb. 11 meeting with a proposal to change the contract to $7.50 for the first three bags of yard waste and $2.50 for each additional bag.
Dewey commissioners unanimously agreed to the change.
Commissioners also tasked Appelbaum and town attorney Fred Townsend with adjusting the town’s residential rental license to reflect the now-required trash, recycling and valet service.
Appelbaum said prior to the discussion, he expected the residential rental license applications to be mailed out by Tuesday, Feb. 14. There is a Wednesday, March 15, deadline to return the application. Normally they would have been mailed out two weeks ago, he said.
Trash pickup will remain Monday and Friday. There was some discussion to change the time when trash and recycling may be placed at the curb on Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m., but no change was made.
Violations of the trash and recycling code remain the same – $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense and $100 after that.
The town itself is entering the second year of a three-year contract with Peninsula Trash & Recycling. The contract includes bin locations along Route 1, Route 1A, and along the entrances of the oceanside and bayside beaches. Following the meeting, Cooke said it is unclear if the town would be required to use Waste Industries when the Peninsula contract expires. He said the town is currently re-examining the request for proposals issued by the town for the residential contract.
