Frustration over Platte City’s current trash and recycling service has escalated in recent weeks, becoming a topic of discussion at the city’s Public Works Subcommittee meeting on July 7 at City Hall.
Platte City resident Amber Brune voiced her concerns, citing repeated issues with trash pickup in her neighborhood.
“Platte City’s current trash service is simply not meeting the mark,” Brune said. “Trash pick-up yesterday left behind trails of garbage liquid and piles of remnants in the road. I didn’t have to travel far to obtain photos, as both of my neighbors had piles in front of their houses.”
Brune added that she had been promised a 96-gallon trash bin the previous week but had not yet received it. She was told to continue leaving her current bin out until 5 p.m. on collection days.
Brune proposed a temporary cost-saving solution: allowing residents to repurpose their existing 96-gallon recycling cans for trash use, and switch to using the smaller 64-gallon bins for recycling.
Recycling services have been inconsistent, with trash trucks reportedly collecting recyclables due to a downed recycling truck.
Terry and Jacob Petersen represented RedGate Disposal at the meeting. The company submitted a bid earlier this year in response to a February proposal from the city. Their offer, which includes trash, recycling, yard clippings and two annual bulk pickups, totaled $18.97 per household per month — a decrease from the city’s current $22 monthly rate.
While little discussion occurred during the meeting regarding trash pickup, city officials confirmed they are still evaluating whether to continue in-house trash collection or contract it to an outside service like RedGate.
City staff have been testing new equipment, including a side-loader trash truck that was ultimately deemed incompatible with about 60% of city streets due to space constraints. A rear-loader model will be tested next. A new truck could cost the city around $260,000, and officials confirmed they’ve explored truck rental options as a backup plan.
If trash collection is outsourced, one city staff position may be eliminated, though officials emphasized that remaining employees have other responsibilities within the city.
Following the meeting, Brune shared photos of trash piles in her neighborhood with city representatives. She was told bin swaps are ongoing, and the part needed to fix the leaking trash trucks has been ordered and will require hired maintenance once received.
This comes following recycling truck issues, which has forced a pause to recycling pickup since June 23.
No final decisions were made during the meeting, but officials stated that discussions are ongoing. Platte City residents can provide feedback on their trash and recycling service by completing a survey at www.plattecity.org or by calling 816-858-3046.