City to review waste collection services

Avon City Council will examine its options for garbage and recycling service in the wake of ongoing issues with Republic Services.

On Aug. 13, Mayor Bryan Jensen told Council he was approached by the Lorain County Consortium, which provide services to several Lorain County communities, opening the door for the city to review its options.

“A lot of Council has been frustrated with what’s been going on with Republic (Services), so we’re going to see if there’s any advantage to being with the Consortium and seeing how that would affect what we do,” Jensen said.

The Avon Council Service Committee will schedule a meeting to go through options available to the city.

Ward 2 Councilman Dennis McBride characterized Republic as having a vertically integrated monopoly with trash collection with the limited competition in the area and expressed concern about whether making a switch to the Consortium would put the city at a greater disadvantage because Republic owns the

landfill and provides preferred rates to cities that use it for trash/recycling collection.

“I think we do need competition,” McBride said. “I don’t think it’s terrible service that we’re receiving. But I don’t think it’s good either; but it’s just service.

“Hopefully, something comes out of the discussions.”

Resident Jim Cochran encouraged

the city to move forward in reviewing options.

Formerly with Republic, Cochran said he has 30 years of experience in the industry and believes with the city’s growth, Avon likely is paying some of the highest rates in Lorain County.

“I am pleased to hear you’re going to take on the sanitation,” he said. “I would encourage you to say that you are not powerless.

“You do have power. You have lots of options. I know the previous administration didn’t want to get involved

in trash service.”

The dispute with Republic dates back to an Aug. 6 work session with Jensen and Council members expressing frustration over recent recycling rate increases while providing no notice to the city or customers about the change.

Many residents discovered the changes in their August statements from Republic prompting a response from Council.

Jensen has said Republic did a terrible job in terms of getting the word out about the rate increases.