Garbage in, garbage out, over budget again

One of the core functions of a city government is ensuring competent garbage pickup. But it’s a file Ottawa fumbles more often than it finesses, with cityrun collection services chronically over-budget. The worst part is that city councillors seem not to care. During municipal election season, they might want to revisit their attitude.

City employees pick up garbage in two of Ottawa’s five collection zones. One city contract was awarded without competition, the other was a bid lower than private sector competitors. Over the last five years, the contracts have gone a total of $2.7 million over budget.

Unlike other individual city services, these garbage contracts are audited annually to show what caused a deficit or surplus. That’s excellent accountability, but only if councillors ask questions and demand a plan for improvement. They’ve done neither.

The issue should have been on their radar after even-larger deficits last year. City staff ’s explanations for the cost overruns aren’t compelling, but then, they’re reporting to undemanding political bosses.

The staff report blames an arbitration ruling, saying overtime must be offered to full-time staff, not part-time workers, but the actual numbers in the audit don’t back that up, at least not in the central zone. Total labour costs there were less in 2017 than in the previous year. Similarly, staff cite fuel costs, but those were also lower than in 2016. Maintenance costs are up because the warranties have run out on city garbage trucks, an expense that would have been predictable when the contract was signed.

City staff point out that the east-end contract is still saving taxpayers money because it has cost less than the next-best bid, so far. It’s a fair point, but even so, when services exceed budgeted amounts, that’s a deficit, not a saving.

The latest fumble follows a blistering report from the city auditor general about a poorly run contract for a city-owned landfill in the former Osgoode Township. The city didn’t properly track revenue and could have been left with a costly cleanup bill.

Then there is the green bin. Only half of households use it, and the city pays for more capacity than it has ever required. And don’t forget Plasco, the super-technology that was supposedly going to make city garbage disappear.

City councillors say they will revisit the garbage issue in 2019, when collection contracts expire. Not good enough. Candidates for council should tell us now what they propose to do, so the public can say yes or no. We need honest talk about trash.