Mayor Sue McKortoff voted to maintain the status quo and to approve a new seven-year waste collection contract with Waste Collections Canada, starting next summer. McKortoff and Coun. Jim King voted against the town switching to using portable plastic carts to collect garbage, recyclable materials and yard waste. The Town of Oliver recently voted to adopt the cart collection system, while the City of Penticton switched to carts several months ago.
Town of Osoyoos council has opted to maintain the status quo by continuing manual garbage collection instead of switching to using portable plastic carts for garbage, recycling and yard waste.
In March, the towns of Osoyoos, Oliver, village of Keremeos, the District of Summerland, City of Penticton and Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) issued requests for proposals for the collection of garbage, recycling, compostable materials and large items.
“It was thought that by issuing a common RFP for this service, some savings might be realized for all of the participating municipal governments,” said Jim Dinwoodie, the town’s director of operational services during a presentation to council Monday afternoon. “It should be noted that the existing curbside collection contracts for all of the above municipal governments expires on July 1, 2018. By awarding a new curbside collection contract in July of 2017, we are giving the successful contractor sufficient time to acquire any new equipment he may require to execute this contract.”
Mayor Sue McKortoff and Coun. Jim King voted against a motion presented by Coun. C. J. Rhodes to switch to the cart collection system, that was recently adopted by Town of Oliver council.
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable going that route now,” said McKortoff.
McKortoff said she couldn’t vote in favour of a waste collection system that would see many local seniors have to drag heavy carts down their driveway on a regular basis.
“My concern with going with the cart system is there are many large carts, perhaps on small properties,” she said. “If we add an organic one, that would make for four carts.
“We have a lot of retired people here who have concerns about dragging large carts up and down their driveways.”
King said the simple reason he voted to maintain the status quo was because he hadn’t met a single local resident who was in favour of switching to the cart system.
“If it’s not broken, why try to change things,” he said.
Rhodes strongly disagreed saying council had the opportunity “to be visionary” in switching to the cart system, saying when composting materials are gathered at the municipal level starting next year, towns like Osoyoos could keep up to 40 per cent of this material out of landfills by switching to composting carts.
“Not going forward with this is definitely a setback in my mind,” said Rhodes.
Municipalities across British Columbia, Canada and around the world have successfully transitioned to using portable carts to collect household waste and this was the perfect time for Osoyoos to make the switch, he said.
“In our own little part of the world, we can reduce the amount of materials that are going to our landfill,” he said. “I’m very supportive of the cart collection process.”
The town’s current waste contractor, Waste Connections of Canada, put in the lowest bid to operate the cart system.
When the motion to switch to the cart system was defeated, McKortoff and King voted in favour of keeping Waste Collections of Canada as the town’s garbage contractor for the next seven years, starting next summer.
Councillors Mike Campol and Carol Youngberg didn’t vote as Campol is on holidays and Youngberg was attending a family matter.
Four companies made bids to provide the proposed cart program that would have provided each residence in Osoyoos with one 120-litre garbage cart, one 240-litre recycling cart and one 240-litre garden waste cart.
“The successful contractor would be responsible for the purchase, assembly, delivery and maintenance and monitoring of all carts provided to a residence,” said Dinwoodie. “At the end of this seven-year contract, the municipal government would have the right to purchase all carts used for one dollar.”
The “mixed manual” garbage collection system that has been used in Osoyoos for decades will continue with regular garbage pickup once a week, with recycling and yard waste pickup taking place every second week.
Unlimited yard and garden waste disposal will continue.
Dinwoodie acknowledged switching to a cart system would have been controversial, as it was in Penticton. However, he noted problems with the cart system in Penticton have for the most part been cleaned up and most residents are very pleased with that system for waste collection.
“The recommendation to go to a cart program is not without controversy and varying opinion,” said Dinwoodie. “Our current system seems to be working well as it allows residents to rent carts if they so desire, unlimited yard waste pickup and limits residents to a single bag, which, in fact, is a smaller amount than the proposed cart. If the system is not broke, why fix it?
“The recommendation to move to a cart system is in order to align our community with contemporary waste management systems, which will involve increased monitoring and improved Worksafe practices for our contractor. The implementation of camera systems on the truck will enable monitoring of products that go into our landfill and assist with ensuring good recycling programs.
“In the future, there will probably be a need for a system of organics composing and compulsory use of carts will assist with that transition. The Worksafe BC handling of our waste by contractors is providing our community with an expanded social conscience for all workers who have a connection to our community services, direct employee or contractor. There will be some hurdles to overcome. Penticton experienced some initial feedback from residents, but overall the service is receiving positive reviews.”
The cart collection system would have cost each residence $154 annually, while the mixed collection service that will continue costs just over $120. The annual mixed manual contract for 2017 is just under $240,000.
