Memorandum

City of Lawrence

TO:	Mayor and City Commissioners
FROM:	City Manager David L. Corliss
Date:	September 2, 2010
RE:	Next Steps for Solid Waste Services

I appreciate the analysis and review provided by Commissioner Chestnut in his memorandum on solid waste options.   I believe there are several next steps for Commission consideration on this issue.

I believe the City staff should undertake, in consultation with solid waste division staff and interested citizens (including the Sustainability Advisory Board), the development of a long-term solid waste plan for collection services.   The plan would be both a management and financial document for the service.  This would include a review of our existing service (much has already been accomplished with the internal audit), the development of long-term plans for automation and other efficiency and safety improvements, long-term fleet plans (including movement toward more environmentally friendly vehicles), pay-as-you-throw pricing of collection services, curbside recycling service opportunities, and other plans for the future.   Much of this analysis is already underway as a follow-up to the recent audit of these services.  This analysis would provide a better picture of “what we want solid waste collection services to be for the Lawrence community.”

With that general plan in place, the Commission could authorize the distribution of a Request for Proposals for solid waste collection services (which would be developed concurrently with the long-term plan development discussed above), with the plan to compare the proposed costs, service quality, ranger of services, etc. and make a determination on whether to franchise an outside vendor or keep the service internally with plans for improvement of the service.  I strongly believe that we must also seek appropriate assurances of employment issues with our existing staff.  In my opinion any transition issues to possibly privatizing our solid waste collection efforts requires the strongest efforts to minimize employment disruption.

The City of Lawrence has provided very good sanitation services to all parts of our community for decades.  As our recent rate studies attest our pricing is very competitive to other communities and our citizen survey indicates that our citizens believe they are getting good service. I believe our solid waste division can demonstrate that it can meet future challenges.   I look forward to the Commission direction on this issue.