Holland to outsource trash collection

Trash collection on Goddard Road in Toledo.

The village of Holland expects to soon outsource trash collection, saving an estimated thousands of dollars each year and using village workers elsewhere.

A five-year agreement to start Sept. 1 provides solid waste and recycling for 570 households. Trash bags retrieved from the curb by village workers will be replaced with new plastic bins.

Stevens Disposal & Recycling Service of Petersburg, Mich., is the contracted provider. Lucas County commissioners are expected to vote on the agreement Tuesday.

Sanitary engineer Jim Shaw said distributed bins of different sizes will better serve residents. Collection continues on Tuesdays.

“This gives them a little more capacity to put them in toters and cleans up the look of the village on garbage day,” Mr. Shaw said.

Mayor Mike Yunker said officials discussed this proposal for years, and realized their truck is nearing the end of its use.

A replacement vehicle would cost about $160,000. The additional annual expense, including three maintenance employees, is $96,500, Mr. Yunker said.

The contracted cost to outsource is $78,000. Holland also purchased plastic bins at $68,000 for permanent use. The village will continue covering all fees as part of its collected tax funds.

Workers' 26 shift hours per week will shift toward other duties, as Holland has grown without adding personnel. There will not be layoffs, Mr. Yunker said.

“Our village has gotten a lot larger, and it requires a lot more maintenance,” he said.

Commissioners in May approved changes to Whitehouse collection as well. An Archbold, Ohio, firm supplied wheeled bins and curbside recycling to households. Previously, village workers picked up garbage from a variety of containers.

Officials are reaching out to Monclova, Springfield, and Sylvania townships to add bundled services with a single provider. It saves taxpayer money, Mr. Shaw said.

“The more we can make it easier on people to recycle and clean up the community, the better I think we all are,” Mr. Shaw said.

Contact Ryan Dunn at rdunn@theblade.com, 419-724-6095, or on Twitter @RDunnBlade.