Garbage is complicated.
Jefferson City government is preparing to seek a new solid waste contract for residents and businesses. City officials on Monday reviewed a draft request for proposals (RFP), which -at 96 pages - is evidence of the scope and complexity of a trash contract.
Trash service is mandatory in Jefferson City and the city now has an exclusive contract with Allied Waste Services; the contract expires Oct. 15.
Discussion of trash service tends to focus on two areas. Residential customers want volume-based fees; commercial customers want competition.
Both are desirable. And both are permissible, according to the RFP, if bidders are willing to provide them at a reasonable cost. Allied was the sole bidder for the existing contract.
The Jefferson City Commercial Trash Alliance is a group of at least 38 businesses that favor an open market - one that allows businesses to negotiate their own contracts.
Although city officials may endorse the concept, its success depends on whether competing solid waste haulers are available.
For residential customers, the desire for volume-based fees is reminiscent of what once was - specifically trash bags.
Under the existing contract, residential customers pay a standard fee for weekly pick up of a standard-sized cart, regardless of how much trash they accumulate. Under the previous system, customers were charged for volume by paying a fee for each trash bag.
Customers prefer paying for what they use; that's why utilities use gas, electric and water meters to monitor usage and charge accordingly.
The uniform fee is unfair to low-volume users.
We understand the solid waste request for proposals contains much more than these two areas of concern. And the city's request is only half the equation; the remaining half will depend on the proposals received.
But Jefferson City commercial and residential customers are encouraged to review the draft RFP on the city's web site, www.jeffcitymo.org/pps/pps.html, and to voice any concerns or ideas before the document is finalized.