Crystal City residents will soon have to pay a small fee to get bulk waste items hauled away.
The Crystal City Council voted 7-0 July 28 to approve an ordinance establishing a bulk waste item fee and rules for bulk waste pickup. Ward III Council Member Taylor Massa was absent from the meeting.
City Administrator Jason Eisenbeis said the city has offered free curbside bulk pickup for more than 30 years, but can no longer offer that service.
“Unfortunately, we can no longer provide this service for free,” he said.
Crystal City Mayor Mike Osher said that while bulk pickup is a fantastic service provided by the city, some people have been taking advantage of it. While most residents only use the free service occasionally, others use it repeatedly, with some even allowing people who live outside the city to bring their large items to their Crystal City homes to dispose of them.
Osher said that dumping fees have increased drastically for the city, but he did not want to increase the trash or recycling rates for residents, so raising the bulk waste pickup fee was a better option.
“There are many people who rarely use bulk pickup, so it would be unfair to raise rates on everyone to pay for those increases in costs,” Osher said.
Beginning on Oct. 10, a $5 fee will be added to a Crystal City resident’s monthly utility bill each time he or she schedules a bulk waste pickup. Bulk pickups typically will be held on the second, fourth, and fifth Fridays of each month, excluding holidays.
Residents who want one or more bulk items picked up must contact Crystal City Hall to schedule the pickup no later than noon on the Thursday before the designated pickup date. Any bulk waste item left out that is not on the city’s pickup list will not be hauled away.
Public Works director Daniel Turner estimated that the city usually has between 70 and 100 bulk waste stops per collection day. The city defines “bulk waste” as discarded items that do not fit into standard waste containers, such as furniture, appliances (with Freon removed) and other large household items.
Bulk items to be picked up must fit within a 5-by-5-foot pile and should be placed near where trash receptacles are placed on the Thursday evening before bulk pickup. Failure to comply may result in penalties being assessed under existing city ordinances for illegal dumping or improper placement of refuse, according to the new ordinance.
The bulk waste pickup service is for Crystal City residents only, so no items from other areas may be brought to a Crystal City residence for pickup.
Osher said he hopes that adding the $5 fee will help curtail those who are taking advantage of the service without making it cost prohibitive for those using it correctly.
“Five dollars is still great deal. We’re not trying to make money,” he said. “We’re just trying to make it where we’re not getting taken advantage of.”
Crystal City Council members agreed that the small fee was reasonable and hoped it would be enough to deter abuse, adding that they could revisit the issue later if they still see significant abuse. Options for either raising the fee again or putting a cap on the number of times the service could be used were discussed.
“I use it frequently, two or three times a year, and it’s a great service to provide, but I also think that if it was $5 for me to get rid of all that junk, I’d pay the $5,” said Ward 4 Councilman John Winkelman.
Osher said so far, residents’ response to the new bulk waste service policy has been positive.
“Our residents are very supportive and understanding of this new policy,” Osher said. “I believe the response has been positive because we researched the best option. We decided to only charge for the service when used and not a monthly added fee. It’s a great service that we want to continue for years to come.”
To schedule a bulk waste pickup, call Crystal City Hall at 636-937-4614.