Rehoboth considering changes to trash collection, related services

In April, Rehoboth Beach signed a three-year-contract with its residential recycling hauler that included an 88 percent increase in the service cost.

Now, city officials are considering a general overhaul of the city’s residential trash and recycling program. The city does not collect commercial trash or recycling.

City officials and commissioners have been discussing possible changes for a few meetings. Most recently, during a commissioner workshop Aug. 9, Jean Lee, who works in the city’s billing department, and Public Works Director Kevin Williams presented commissioners with an updated list of proposed changes.

Related to trash, changes include billing quarterly instead of annually and merging all utilities into one bill; moving the end date of twice-a-week pickup from Nov. 30 to Oct. 31; changing the two-week bulk pickup period to sometime before twice-a-week trash pickup begins in mid-April; and, over time, standardizing use of a city refuse can.

Related to yard waste, proposed changes include having pickup every other Wednesday instead of the first, third and fifth Wednesday of each month; moving the start time of loose leaf pickup from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1; altering the vacuum truck schedule from five days per week all over town to two days a week, with the south side on Thursday and the north side on Friday; and increasing the yard waste container price from $35 to $50 because that’s how much it costs the city to purchase the cans.

Citing improved efficiencies in the process and covering costs, commissioners have voiced their support for the proposed changes. The one topic that continues to garner questions is the possible institution of mandatory recycling – or at least charging all residential customers for recycling. 

As proposed, the city would charge all residential customers $135 a year for recycling. Looking to get participation, the city has provided its recycling service for free since 2006.

The contract the city signed in April with Blue Hen increased the price of recycling from $1.70 per can to $3.20 per can, per collection, the first year of the contract, $3.50 the second year and $3.70 the third year.

Lee said the cost of the recycling program is the six-year average associated with the contract, which she said is for three years, with a three-year extension. The city has approximately 1,900 recycling customers. Lee said there would be 350 customers added if recycling was made mandatory.

Commissioner Patrick Gossett wanted to know if Blue Hen would be willing to handle the additional customers at the contracted price. City Manager Sharon Lynn said the city had not contacted Blue Hen about the proposed change.

Commissioner Susan Gay said she’s heard from constituents who don’t want to pay for the recycling because they don’t rent and they don’t use their Rehoboth property enough to necessitate the service. She said a number of property owners think it should be the rental houses that have to pick up the bulk of the cost.

Mayor Stan Mills said recycling costs the city less, because the city doesn’t pay tipping fees for recycling like it does for trash.

Commissioner Richard Byrne said property owners should be encouraged to make recycling easy for renters. Describing the cost as minimal and using schools as an example, he said taxpayers pay for things that are for the greater good of the community.

None of the staff recommendations have been finalized or approved by city commissioners. The next discussion on the subject is expected to take place during the commissioner workshop Wednesday, Sept. 8.