City Manager Won't Recommend Outsourcing Solid Waste Collection

City Manager Lehman Walker said on Tuesday that he will not recommend to councilmembers that University City outsource its solid waste collection services.

In a letter to councilmembers, Walker said outsourcing solid waste collection would not be in U City's best interest. 

In the letter, Walker wrote, "After a thorough analysis of all information provided, including , I have concluded that the City of University City should not outsource solid waste collection services."

 Although, the issue is far from dead as Walker noted in his letter:

As we prepare future budgets, the City will have to consider additional information which includes:   

a) the trends in personnel and operating costs;

b) the cost of properly providing for equipment renewal and replacement, costs for which we are not budgeting at the present time;  and

c) the future of the transfer station, and how to fund the cost of needed maintenance to the facility, or its eventual replacement, costs for which we are not budgeting at this time.

Just 24 hours ago, Walker told residents at a public budget session that no final decision had been made about whether or not to recommend to council that it outsource solid waste collection.

He did say that inquiries showed that U City's service and price was comparable to the private sector. The majority of residents at lastnight's budget meeting voiced their opposition to outsourcing solid waste pick-up.