Winter Collection of Food Scraps_Yard WasteTHE CITY OF DUBUQUE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
All-American City
2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Winter Collection of Food Scraps and Yard Waste
DATE: November 26, 2008
In response to citizen requests, Public Works Director Don Vogt is recommending that the
Yard Waste and Food Scrap Collection Program be extended to include the winter months.
The food scrap collection program was initially designed as a co-collection program with
yard debris in order to keep the collection cost reasonable. Since yard waste collection has
been budgeted to end on the last Saturday in November and start the first full week in April,
the winter months had no normal co-collection opportunity.
The main new expense would be for truck fuel and maintenance. The large yard waste
truck would be used in early December. The much smaller, more fuel efficient collection
truck #3406 could be used for the request-for-service collection days. The cost of the full-
time Sanitary Driver doing the collection would not cause any new expense since this
position is already charged out to our other collection activities during these weeks.
The co-collection program period for 2009 of January 22 through April 2 would be by a call-
for-service for a Thursday special collection.
Revenue to support the collection would be derived from the sale of Brush Ties ($1.20
each) and yard waste single-use stickers ($1.20 each) -including required sticker use on
food scrap GreenCarts which, when seasonally subscribed, do not require them. Collection
for the remainder of 2008 would have no additional charge, if a yard waste container with a
2008 yard waste decal is used.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Don Vogt, Public Works Director
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Don Vogt, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: Winter Collection of Food Scraps and Yard Waste
DATE: November 25, 2008
INTRODUCTION
The purposes of this memorandum are to provide information and recommend
consideration of a course of action regarding the possible collection of food scraps and
yard waste this winter.
BACKGROUND
In recent weeks, you received requests that the collection of food scraps be extended
through the winter season. You subsequently directed that Solid Waste Management
Supervisor Paul Schultz and I investigate the concept and report back with
recommendations for this year and the future.
DISCUSSION
One of the FY10 budget improvement increment requests submitted to you by our
department two weeks ago proposes year-round collection of food scraps and yard
waste. That request addresses future years. I also asked Paul to prepare a
recommendation regarding a possible pilot program for this winter - as early as the first
week of December. His recommendation, which mirrors the noted FY10 improvement
increment request, is attached.
In anticipation that you may concur with the recommendation, Ihave taken the liberty of
preparing an ordinance that would amend paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of Section 40-39
of the Code of Ordinances. The amendments provide for year round collection of yard
waste and food scraps and increasing the fee for an annual yard waste decal from
$26.00 to $28.00. Also attached is a copy of Section 40-39 with the proposed deletions
noted and additions underlined.
ACTION STEP
concur with Solid Management Supervisor Paul Schultz's recommendation and
request your consideration of same.
Attachments
THE CITY OF DUBUQUE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MEMORANDUM
November 25, 2008
TO: Donald J. Vogt, Public Works Director
FROM: Paul F. Schultz, Solid Waste Management Supervisor ~
SUBJECT: Citizen Request to Extend Food Scrap Co-Collection over Winter Months
The food scrap collection program was initially designed as a co-collection program
with yard debris in order to keep the collection cost reasonable. Since yard waste
collection has been budgeted to end on the last Saturday in November and start the first
full week in April, the winter months had no normal co-collection opportunity.
However, we could pilot a potentially cost-effective, yet limited, yard waste and food
scrap co-collection service to our customers during December, late January, February
and March. Early January is already serviced through our current Merry Mulch
collection.
The fall season appears to be stretching out longer -and spring coming earlier. Our
seasonal yard waste program has worked reasonably well in the past, but in recent years
there have been more leaves still hanging on the' trees or uncollected on the ground when
the program ends in November. Customers have requested some kind of extended
season collection option to dispose of their leaves as well as for earlier startup options for
spring yard work. Providing a limited extension of collection will also help reduce
customer self haul trips and wasted fuel driving to the DMASWA compost facility. A year
round collection option would help reduce the volume of leaves blowing around our
neighborhoods, leaves requiring extra street sweeping, leaves entering /clogging our
storm sewer system, and excessive leaves negatively impacting our local streams and
other surface waters. It would increase our collection revenue, provide additional needed
feedstock for the DMASWA composting facility and also allow us to collect the Christmas
trees that were late set outs after the Merry Mulch collection weeks.
A second benefit would be to pilot extending the curbside food scrap collection
program on a limited basis from December through March. A significant inquiry of
GreenCart customers using this voluntary recycling option showed unanimous support for
some kind of limited year round expansion. Our overall food scrap to compost program
would increase significantly with the availability of year round collection.
There are three models of winter collection in use in eastern Iowa. Cedar Rapids
collects yard waste every week year round. Davenport's collection occurs March 31St
through January 11th. Bettendorf and Cedar Falls collect yard waste on acall-for-service
basis in the winter.
Revenue to support the collection would be derived from the sale of Brush Ties ($1.20
ea) and yard waste single-use stickers ($1.20 ea) -including required sticker use on food
scrap GreenCarts which, when seasonally subscribed, do not require them. Subscription
options for food scraps would also be available. Containers with 2008 Yard Waste decals
would be honored through the end of December. 2009 Yard Waste decals would be
offered for sale in mid-December at a recommended cost of $28.00.
The main new expense would be for truck fuel and maintenance. Our large yard waste
truck would be used in early December. Our much smaller, more fuel efficient collection
truck #3406 could be used for the request-for-service collection days. The cost of the full-
time Sanitation Driver would not cause any new expense since he is already charged out
to our other collection activities during these months.
The recommended hybrid model would:
1.) Extend regular yard waste and food scrap collection service from Tuesday
December 2, 2008 through Monday, December 15, 2008;
2.) Add two call-for-service or subscription Thursday collection days in later
December on December 18t" and December 27t" to fill-in the gap in weekly service
between early December and Merry Mulch;
3.) Collect yard waste and food scraps during the Merry Mulch weeks (Jan 5 - 16);
4.) Then make collection available on acall-for-service basis or subscriptions for
every Thursday from January 22"d through April 2"d (11 collection days). This call-for-
service collection period would begin being promoted in the media in early January.
5.) Collection of containers with 2008 and 2009 annual decals would require call-in
appointments for the Thursday Only collection days (12/18, 12/27, 1/22 - 4/2).
To set up collection appointments during the Thursday Only collection periods,
customers would email the Public Works Department, make a collection appointment
through the City website, call the Public Works Department at 589-4250, or if busy, leave
a voicemail message on the Solid Waste hotline at 589-4345.
Business and residential food scrap customers could also subscribe and schedule
collection on the Thursday collection days and have the cost added to their utility bill
according to the following fee chart. A promotion would be initiated to recruit participation
and new subscriptions and a mailing sent out to current customers with winter
participation tips.
Proposed Subscription and Business Fees for Winter Food Scrap Collection:
13-gallon GreenCarts 48-gallon tipper carts 64-gallon tipper carts
Total # of icku dates 17 w/ late December 17 w/ late December 17 w/ late December
Earl December fee 2 icku s $2.40 $5.00 $7.50
Late December fee 2 icku s $2.40 $5.00 $7.50
January, February, & March fees
4 icku s/mo $4.80/month $10.00/month $15.00/month
Current in-season fees $0.50 / mo $5.00 / mo $7.50 / mo
EFFECT OF AMENDMENT
Sec. 40-39. Yard Waste and Food Scraps:
(a) Yard waste shall be separated by the customer of record with the city from all
other solid waste.
(b) The customer of record with the city, with permission of the owner of the
premises, may compost such person's own yard waste and food scraps on the premises
provided the same is stored in such a manner as to not create a fire, health or safety
hazard.
(c) Yard waste that has not been composted shall be collected by the city not more
than once each week according to the collection schedule established by the city
manager .
(d) Containerized yard waste collected by the city shall be placed in degradable
paper bags with an affixed single use sticker or in rigid waste containers with an affixed
single use tag or in permanent waste containers with an affixed annual yard waste decal
or in a subscribed 65-gallon city-owned yard waste cart or be contained by tying devices
approved by the city manager. The charges for collection and disposal of "yard waste"
as defined shall be as follows:
(1) The fee for tying devices approved by the city manager shall be one dollar
five cents ($1.20) each.
(2) The fee paid to the city by a customer of record with the city for an annual
yard waste decal for a rigid waste container shall be twenty eight s+x dollars ($286.00)
each through June 30 of each year. The fee shall be reduced by one-half (1/2) on July 1
of each year, and again by one-half (1/2) on September 1 of each year. A decal shall
only be used by the customer of record with the city who purchased it.
(3) The fee for single use stickers shall be one dollar twenty cents ($1.20) each.
(4) The fee paid to the city for subscription to a 65-gallon city-owned yard waste
cart shall be fourteen dollars and fifty cents ($14.50) per month
with a one-time non-refundable start-up fee of twenty dollars
($20.00).
(e) Subscribers to the food scrap collection program shall set out city-owned carts
containing food scraps and other compostable materials.
(1) Such carts shall be co-collected with yard waste
Aleuer~beF.
(2) Such carts shall be set out weekly to reduce potential nuisance concerns.
Failure to use, store or set out the cart properly shall cause the subscription to be
terminated.
(f) Scheduled leaf-rake-out appointments may be arranged seasonally and collected
for a minimum fee of $15.00.
(g) No person shall deposit any yard waste in any public right of way. (Ord. 54-93, §
1, 9-20-1993; Ord. 16-95, § 1, 3-8-1995; Ord. 16-96, § 1, 3-18-1996, eff. 7-1-1996; Ord.
14-02, § 3, 3-5-2002; Ord. 11-03, § 1, 2-27-2003)
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
ORDINANCE NO. 78-08
AMENDING CITY OF DUBUQUE CODE OF ORDINANCES SECTION 40-39
PARAGRAPHS (c), (d), and (e) ESTABLISHING YEAR ROUND COLLECTION OF
YARD WASTE AND FOOD SCRAPS AND INCREASING THE ANNUAL YARD WASTE
DECAL FEE FOR THE COLLECTION OF YARD WASTE FROM $26.00 TO $28.00
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. Section 40-39, paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of the City of Dubuque
Code of Ordinances are hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 40-39. Yard Waste and Food Scraps:
. . .
(c) Yard waste that has not been composted shall be collected by the city not more
than once each week according to the collection schedule established by the city
manager.
(d) Containerized yard waste collected by the city shall be placed in degradable
paper bags with an affixed single use sticker or in rigid waste containers with an affixed
single use tag or in permanent waste containers with an affixed annual yard waste decal
or in a subscribed 65-gallon city-owned yard waste cart or be contained by tying devices
approved by the city manager. The charges for collection and disposal of "yard waste"
as defined shall be as follows:
(1) The fee for tying devices approved by the city manager shall be one dollar
twenty cents ($1.20) each.
(2) The fee paid to the city by a customer of record with the city for an annual
yard waste decal for a rigid waste container shall be twenty eight dollars ($28.00) each
through June 30 of each year. The fee shall be reduced by one-half (1/2) on July 1 of
each year, and again by one-half (1/2) on September 1 of each year. A decal shall only
be used by the customer of record with the city who purchased it.
(3) The fee for single use stickers shall be one dollar twenty cents ($1.20) each.
(4) The fee paid to the city for subscription to a 65-gallon city-owned yard waste
cart shall be fourteen dollars and fifty cents ($14.50) per month with cone-time
non-refundable start-up fee of twenty dollars ($20.00).
(e) Subscribers to the food scrap collection program shall set out city-owned carts
containing food scraps and other compostable materials.
(1) Such carts shall be co-collected with yard waste.
(2) Such acrts shall be set out weekly to reduce potential nuisance concerns.
Failure to use, store or set out the cart properly shall cause the subscription to be
terminated.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect upon publication.
Passed, approved and adopted on this 1st day of December, 2008.
Roy D. Buol, Mayor
Attest:
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk