Presentation

Town of Wickenburg — Study Session (2025-06-16)

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TOWN OF WICKENBURG
WASTE MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
Herschel Workman, Public Works Director
June 16, 2025

• History
• Current Operations
• Proposed Level of Service
• Employee Considerations
• Benefits to the Town
• Municipalities with WM Partnerships
• Procurement Options &
Recommendation
• Q&A
Agenda
2

• During the FY26 budget work session held on April 7th, Council gave staff direction to look at
alternatives related to sanitation and recycling operations
• Curbside Recycling began in 2011 and initially generated modest revenue
• By 2020, became a cost center due to global market changes
• In 2023, Council eliminated the $1.50/month recycling fee and capped recycling losses at
$25,000/year
• Current cap allows for recycling approximately 4 months per year
• The town is currently unable to recycle any materials due to CR&R equipment failure
• Recycling is still advertised, which undermines public trust and sustainability goals
History of Sanitation/Recycling
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Current Financial Model

Service Overview
• Weekly residential and commercial trash pickup by town staff
• Curbside recycling offered but unreliable
• CR&R hauls both trash and recyclables to Waste Management
Recycling Program Challenges
• No recyclables processed thus far in 2025 due to equipment failure
• Service only available approximately 4 months per year due to $25,000
loss cap
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Current level of service

Customer Rates:
• $27.00 in July 2025
• $28.00 in July 2026
Town’s Cost to Operate:
• Rising labor, benefits, equipment maintenance costs
• Aging fleet with ongoing capital replacement needs
• Reinvestment needs outpacing current revenues
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Current level of service – Customer Cost

• Continue to operate as we do today, with town Employees, and seek a
new contract service provider for hauling and recycling
• Change to a Contracted Services Model – where the town contracts
out all sanitation services under a contract and maintains billing and
customer relations
• Hybrid approach where the town continues to provide trash services
and contracts out recycling services
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Alternatives

• Staff reached out to Waste Management to discuss alternatives and
solicit their level of interest
• Staff researched different possible procurement methods and found
cooperative purchase contracts are available
• Staff has conducted follow up to inquire about the services of Waste
Management to other communities under a contracted services model
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Contracted Service Model

• Direct residential curbside trash &
recycling collection
• Commercial service: $36.26 (July
2025), $37.26 (July 2026)
container/week (300-gallon,
1x/week)
• Residential service: $27.00/month
(July 2025), $28.00/month (July
2026)
•
Direct residential curbside trash & recycling collection
•
Commercial service: $29.54/container/week (300-gallon,
1x/week)
•
 Residential service: $24.54/month
•
Town retains billing responsibility at current rates:
o $27.00/month (July 2025), $28.00/month (July
2026)
•
Additional services:
o Bulk item pickup scheduling
o Enhanced operational and customer service support
o Use of existing town carts
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Level of Service
Current
Proposed

• Waste Management is willing to offer employment to current town
sanitation drivers at a higher rate than they currently earn
o Open to transferring tenure and honoring accrued paid time off
o Offers continuity of employment and potential for expanded career
opportunities
o Supports a respectful transition for impacted employees
• Employees who wish to remain with the town will be placed into other
roles within the Public Works Department
Employee Considerations
10

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Benefits to the Town
Restores integrity to the
recycling program
Reliable, full-service
provider with regional
infrastructure
Avoids costly vehicle
replacements and more
aggressive rate increases
Town retains
billing/customer
relationship
Rate buffer supports
long-term financial
planning
Improved service
delivery and operational
stability

• City of Litchfield Park
• City of Show Low
• City of Eloy
Municipalities with WM Partnerships
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• Traditional RFP Process
o Timeline could be several months
o Unlikely that proposals from other
companies would provide the same
level of service and reliability as
Waste Management
• Direct contract negotiation with
Waste Management through a
Cooperative Purchasing Contract
• Initiate contract negotiations with
Waste Management
• Town maintains billing and oversight
• Transition enhances service
reliability, supports employees, and
aligns with rate plan
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Procurement Options & Recommendation
Procurement Options
Recommendation

Questions & Council Discussion
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