PORT ST. LUCIE — Port St. Lucie residents could soon have an opportunity to weigh in on a long-debated issue as city officials move forward with plans to place a nonbinding straw poll on the November ballot regarding residential trash collection frequency.
The proposal comes after continued public discussion over whether the city should maintain its current once-a-week garbage pickup schedule or move to twice-a-week service.
"Just last week at the special city council meeting, we again heard public comments supporting both the current once-a-week collection and an increase to twice-a-week collection," said Mariana Feldpausch, the city's director of solid waste.
Feldpausch told city officials that the measure would not directly change city policy but would provide guidance on residents' preferences.
"A straw poll question is non-binding. Its purpose is simply to gauge public approval," she said. "We are currently aligned for the required timeline for the ballot language preparation, tonight being the first reading of the ordinance, and the second reading scheduled for the July 13 city council meeting."
If residents ultimately support twice-a-week collection, city officials said implementation would require significant operational changes and would not occur immediately.
"if voters ultimately support increasing trash collection to twice a week, implementing is estimated to take nine to 15 months," Feldpausch said. "Some impacts worth noting are: routes and schedules are adjusted to add Saturday service in support of twice a week collection, residential collection start time would shift from 7 a.m. to 6 a.m. to align with Saturday landfill operating hours, as that would be a service day."
Under the proposed changes, pickup routes would need to be redesigned citywide, resulting in new collection days for many residents. Saturday service would be added and holiday makeup collection days would be eliminated.
City officials also said residential solid waste fees would increase, with residents expected to see an increase of at least $131 by 2028.
Mayor Shannon Martin said additional staffing, equipment and infrastructure would also be required before any transition could occur.
"We didn't talk about the fact that our current provider would have to add additional 17 trucks and drivers, so they'd have to hire people and get the equipment in. And then you have here additional five indirect employees. They'd have to get additional property in order to house those vehicles," Martin said. "They'd have to get some other trucks as well. I just want to make sure that's clear that everyone understands that if it were to pass, it is going to take time to implement the new program for all those reasons that we just mentioned."
The proposed ballot measure received its first reading by the City Council. A second reading is scheduled for the council's July 13 meeting.