Businesses, residents split on satisfaction of solid waste services in Jefferson City, survey results show

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.

Residents and businesses have differing opinions on solid waste services in Jefferson City.

Jefferson City will show the results of a survey regarding trash services at multiple meetings next month, according to a Tuesday press release.

The survey was conducted from Oct. 3-Nov. 8 and received 400 responses from residents and 31 from area businesses. The survey asked residents and businesses about their satisfaction with the current trash and recycling services.

"We were really looking for 'Are you satisfied with the service?' and not necessarily the service that Republic services providing, but just the general trash and single stream recycling service that is currently provided. Also, 'do we have any gaps? Are there areas that we need to look at that maybe we didn't need to address 10 years ago?'" said Rachel Senzee, the Neighborhood Services Supervisor for Jefferson City.

The city's contract with Republic began in 2016 and is set to expire on May 31, 2026.

ABC 17 News obtained the documents with the final results that show few complaints among residential users of the trash services. However, commercial businesses expressed frustration with the lack of services they have been provided.

Forty-three percent of businesses that answered the survey said they are not satisfied with the current solid waste services offered by the city. Only one business that answered the survey said it 'strongly agreed' that the current services are satisfactory.

Of the 30 businesses who responded, 29 said they currently use the trash services offered by Republic. However, 21 businesses said they do not currently recycle due to space, cost and lack of interest. Most businesses in the survey said they would be interested in the addition of cardboard-only recycling.

Eight responding businesses said cost is the most-important factor the city should consider in its next contract, and container size was a close second.

"Republic charges commercial containers an overage for which is very high," one comment said.

"We need to make sure overage charges are reasonable and that we are given opportunities to be able to address the overages," another comment said.

Senzee said reducing rates or preventing an increase in current rates is one reason they are starting this process so early.

"One of the pros of it is that then you do get locked into those rates and you're not up to the, you know, consumer price index," Senzee said.

Out of the 400 residents that responded to the survey, 303 people 'Strongly Agree' or 'Somewhat Agree' that they are satisfied with the city's current solid waste services.

There were 393 residents who responded that they use Republic's curbside trash services ,and 343 use the curbside recycling services.

"Everybody gets a blue cart for their trash and a great limited cart for their single stream recycling and that's the standard across the city," Senzee said.

There who 311 residents who said they strongly agree that curbside recycling should be kept in the city's next contract. They also would like to see bulky item pick up in both the fall and spring.

Despite cost being the most important factor for most residents that answered the survey, many also said they would be OK with a price increase for services in the next contract.

The survey findings and feedback will be presented at meetings throughout December. Senzee tells ABC 17 News they will take any extra feedback provided at those meetings to create a scope of services and open up contract bidding.

The following meetings will occur:

• Administration Meeting: 7:30-9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4. at the Boone Bancroft Room
• Public Works and Planning Committee Meeting: 7:30-10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12 at the City Council chambers
• Public Meeting No. 1: 10:30 a.m.-noon Thursday, Dec. 12 at the City Council chambers
• Public Meeting No. 2: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18 at the City Council chambers

The city hopes to have a new contract in place sometime during 2025.