Single-hauler garbage collection approved

NEW LONDON – Residential property owners in the city of New London will automatically be enrolled into a single-hauler, citywide garbage collection program with GFL Environmental with the cost of the program added to their annual property tax bills.
During its Sept. 16 meeting, the New London Common Council approved amending the municipal code to contract with one collection contractor to provide waste disposal within the city limits for residential units. It passed 9-1 with Ald. David Dorsey voting no. Prior to the approval, the council approved waiving the rules to pass the amended ordinance upon one reading.
The council also authorized city staff to enter a contract with GFL for citywide garbage collection beginning April 1, 2026. It passed 7-3, with Dorsey, Ald. Bernie Ritchie Jr., and Ald. Tim Roberts voting no.
The approval does not include an opt-out option for city residents to use to opt-out of the citywide garbage collection program.
The city will continue to use the Outagamie County Recycling Program for recyclables. That term ends in 2027.

Committee meeting
At the Sept. 3 Board of Public Works meeting, Robert Garske, Director of Public Works for the city of New London, told the board that an additional 93 cents would be need to be added to the monthly garbage fees included in the bids that GFL and Harter’s Fox Valley Disposal submitted to the city. The additional fee would cover the city’s expenses of administering the program. That cost would increase by one cent each year through 2030.
GFL submitted a bid of $12.68 per month for garbage collection only, and $12.43 per month for garbage and recycling collection. Harter’s submitted a bid of $12.29 per month for garbage collection only, and an additional $4.80 per month for garbage and recycling collection. Those costs would slightly increase each year of the five-year contract.
The average annual cost during the five-year contract for garbage collection only would be $161 with GFL and $159 with Harter’s.
The average annual cost during the five-year contract for garbage and recycling collection would be $158 with GFL and $221 with Harter’s.

Based on those figures, the board was told it would be around $100 cheaper per year for residents if the city went with a citywide contract with GFL for garbage collection.
Ald. BaLynda Croy said she was still struggling to make a decision.
“I can’t determine whether or not I’m actually going to be saving the majority of the residents $100 a year,” Croy said.
She added that she was uneasy about requiring residents who are sharing a garbage canister to now each pay for a garbage canister.
Ald. Mike Barrington asked if the city knows how many residents do not currently pay for private garbage collection.
It was stated that the city estimated around 500 residents do not pay for private garbage collection.
“I think it comes down to, that you asked us to find the best rate for garbage collection,” said New London City Administrator Chad Hoerth. “This is the best rate, requiring everyone to have garbage collection and the cost of making it a mass program in the city, this is your best rate. So, as alderpersons you need to decide if you are going to require people to get the best rate that we can find. Or keep on the current program you have today.”
Ritchie said everything that was presented sounded great.
“But I can’t see forcing somebody to have somebody come pick up their trash,” Ritchie said.
Hoerth said that would be a decision the council would have to make.
“You had residents in here requesting that the city get garbage collection, so as alderpersons you need to make the decision whether you’re going to go in a program, or tell the ones that were here asking you for help, say, ‘I’m sorry we feel it’s better we not force it on everybody,’” Hoerth said.
Committee Chairman John Hass asked how many surrounding communities have single hauler, citywide garbage collection programs.
“This is becoming the norm, most communities are going to this,” Herter said.
Herter added that he was not in favor of not providing residents with an opt-out option.
“Like the discussion of making people pay for garbage (collection) that currently don’t, however, it was just said that the majority of folks will be saving money,” Herter said.

Council meeting
During the discussion at the council meeting, Hoerth told the council that to move forward with a single-hauler, citywide garbage collection contract, New London City Attorney Keith Steckbauer recommended the city create an ordinance. The ordinance would define the expectations and define the collection of fees.
Hoerth added that the city can opt-out of its contract with Outagamie County at the end of the current term. He said the original 15-year term was signed in 1993. That contract has been automatically renewed every five years since then.
“Our current term looks like it expires in 2027,” Hoerth said. “So, with that information, we are recommending that if you want to go with a centralized garbage contract, for now, just look at the garbage. And we can revisit the recycling portion at a later time.”
Hoerth said the quote from Harter’s was slightly cheaper for just garbage, but GFL would be “substantially cheaper” for both garbage and recycling collection.

Ald. John Faucher said most residents currently use GFL for garbage pick-up, so transitioning to Harter’s could be more difficult.
“I think that’s a consideration that needs to be looked at in this, over the 40-cent difference there, is the smoother transition for residents,” Faucher said.
Hoerth said the city has received some comments from residents hoping to delay the start of the citywide garbage collection program for a few months.
Hoerth asked the council if it would be more feasible to start the citywide garbage collection contract on April 1 instead of January 1. Even if the council agreed with the delay, Hoerth said the decision to begin a citywide garbage collection program would still need to be made now because the city needs to know how much to assess on tax bills at the end of the year.
Ald. Tim Roberts suggested waiting until 2027 since the recycling contract with Outagamie County would expire in 2027.
Ritchie said he was in favor of a citywide garbage collection program, but he was not in favor of forcing residents to participate in the program if they don’t want to.