Local residents to weigh in on trash, recycling services
A request to hire NewGen Strategies and Solutions to conduct a public survey to determine solid waste and recycling services most desired by Bartlesville residents was approved by the Bartlesville City Council during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday.
The City currently offers a polycart system of trash collection with collection one time per week for all Bartlesville utility customers. Citizens may also drop off items for recycling at the recycling center, located on 10th Street just east of Virginia Avenue. City Manager Mike Bailey told the council Monday these basic services were determined several years ago and should be revisited.
“When we implemented the polycart system, there was a whole slate of services that were considered,” he said. “At that time we decided to implement a pretty basic system. We didn’t expand a lot of services because we weren’t sure what the demand would be. Revisiting that recently, we decided we wanted information on recycling, primarily, but several other services as well.”
Bailey said the survey questions will be aimed at obtaining information not only on what residents want regarding services, but what they are willing to pay for as well.
“There is a cost to everything,” he said. “We have recycling today that we can afford under the existing rates. If we expand that to curbside, there will be a cost. So the question on that is, do the citizens demand it and do they demand it and are willing to pay for it?”
Residents will be asked to weigh in on on their preferences and willingness to fund several services, including:
- Roadside clean-ups
- Neighborhood clean-ups
- Street sweeping
- Bulky waste collection
- Curbside or drop-off recycling
- Household hazardous waste collection
- Landfill voucher program
- Sticker program (refuse, yard waste)
- Spring and fall clean-ups
The cost of the services to be provided by NewGen Strategies and Solutions to conduct the survey is expected not to exceed $32,500.
Citizen input will likely be sought for a 30-day period, after which the findings will be made available to City staff. The entire project is expected to conclude in late spring or early summer. The survey could launch by March and will be conducted online. Utility customers will receive information regarding the survey in an upcoming utility bill. Information will also be provided in City Beat, on the City’s website, www.cityofbartlesville.org, Facebook, Twitter and local media.