We figured it out.

Good afternoon, I call to order this Sustainability and Beautification Committee on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 at two PM.

Clerk will you please call the role?

Cole Mives, Jones, Driscoll, Kramer, McPherson, one present except for Melden, also present.

Morris also present.

Gaddis, also president, and President Williams also present.

Thank you so much, Clark.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Uh, thanks for coming to this important discussion.

We will be discussing the uh curbside refuse and recycling contract today.

Uh, in addition to uh to follow the bulk set out uh proposed legislation as well.

Uh if you a couple of housekeeping items if you wish to speak today, uh, and address the body.

There's a sign up sheet that's on the table uh to the to your left um over here.

Uh please feel free to sign up.

We will call everyone up in order.

Uh, you will likely get around three minutes or so to say what you have to say.

Uh we'd love to hear from you.

So please sign up if you are interested.

Um, the way this is gonna roll is we'll have an opening presentation by the by folks from the administration, um, and then in conjunction with some folks from uh Republic who are here with us uh today as well.

Um, we'll go through their uh proposals and and talk about what the proposed contract might look like, and then once we wrap up the republic discussion, we will move into the bulk set out discussion after that.

Wonderful.

So I will kick it off to the hand it off to the administration.

Wonderful.

Good afternoon.

Uh thank you, Chair Co Mines, members of council for having us today.

I'm Meghan Ropeson, Chief of Operations of the City of Toledo.

I'm joined by Director Joe Bosnaw of Department of Public Service, Commissioner Ryan Murphy of Solid Waste Division.

And we also have uh representatives from Republic Services here today with us, Rick Rolf and Giovanni Harper.

Uh so during the hearing today, we will review the proposed five year agreement with the option for five one year renewals that we have um legislation currently in committee for uh with Republic Services.

And additionally, we will provide information about the communication, the technology enhancements and service level agreements.

We'll also walk through the proposed um agreement price and contract terms, as well as focus on some timely refuse and recycling collection services, communication enhancements, uh technology and camera um enhancements that Republic Services is going to share with us today.

So I'm gonna turn the presentation over to Rick and Jamani, and they'll walk you through some information.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Jamani Harper.

And first of all, I'd like to say thank you to the sustainability committee as well as the council.

Um inclusive also of the administration, uh, for allowing us to engage into a opportunity for uh to continue our partnership.

We've proudly served the city of Toledo for over 15 years, and we look forward to serving the city for many more years.

I'm joined today with my partner here, the GM, Rick Roth, as well as a number of Republic employees who have decided to who are participating today.

Sean Warren, our operations manager, and Rochelle Bowen, our municipal manager.

So I'll kick things off.

Certainly, if there are questions, we can work through those as well.

But I'll start off with our agenda today.

I think you all have a copy of the PowerPoint presentation.

Well, we will work through technology, communication, customer service, and education, the contract overview and service offerings, and then finally we'll wrap up with the service level agreements that we've been working with the administration to include into the potential new contract.

Alright, when you think about when at Republic camera technology is not new for us.

One of the first generations of camera technology was built around the idea of safety.

Safety for your community, safety for the driver, and it also allowed for feedback, direct real-time feedback to the driver of the surrounding around them.

So our first generation in our trucks today are equipped with camera technology.

And so as you think about the future, what I'd like to share with you is the new technology that will allow a bit more of transparency with service, it will allow the opportunity for the city and republic to have direct some direct uh ideas of where we are today.

And I said that thank you.

So just a little bit, and I know we have the PowerPoint presentation here.

Um real-time tracking.

So every truck, the city will have access to our portal.

It will be a shared portal where you have real-time tracking of every truck and service.

There will be a breadcrumb trail, which I'll explain how the technology works of every house that is that has a trash can out or not out.

You will have the opportunity to be able to request uh on videos for either for services that have been completed or not out, as are the ones where we would say a service is not out or missed.

We would be able to look up uh direct address for any service event that has occurred.

So, in the event there is a missed pickup and there is a customer who says, Hey, Republic miss me, we would have video evidence, and I'll walk through that on our next slide on how we are able to see the lift image as well as the property image when our truck comes in front of the house.

And then later in 2026, we anticipate while this technology is available for the waste and recycling collection today.

This will also be available for bulk pickup for verification and compliance.

Next slide, please.

So taking a look at the for the taking a look at you can see that how the how does the technology work.

When our truck pulls in front of the house, it will be able to see the home address.

So the first image would be the property image.

So we'll be able to verify the property image, which is in the top left-hand corner.

And then there's also a camera and connected to the arm when this when the can is serviced.

We will be able to see not only that it has been completed, but we will also be able to see if we're looking at things such as recycling, what types of material or from contamination that would be in there.

So that would be more of the generation three, but just wanted to share with you, we would be able to see that the city would have direct access to being able to see those specific addresses as a can as service.

Moving over to the right-hand side of the page.

I shared earlier that the city would also have the collection routes for all of our trucks.

And so while you would not the when you dial into the portal, you would be able to see the truck on route.

The truck is in the middle.

It's that yellow, it's the uh orange, orange and along the street, and you can see that there is a yellow dot, a green dot, and a yellow dot, followed by two blue dots.

The green dot is that is shows indicates that the house has been serviced.

So we will be able to see which houses have been serviced.

A yellow dot indicates it's a potential not out, or the house has yet to be serviced.

And so the along with Republic, the administration will be able to see any specific any specific houses where there was a not out or a miss service.

The following two blue dots shows the direction that the truck is going, and those are the next two service events.

So once once it completes the the yellow dot, it will move on to the next two blue dots.

So you'll be able to see in any event there is a reason the truck is late.

Someone says, hey, the republic's not here yet, we will be able to see that they're on their way.

I'll pause for any questions.

Councilmember Melbourne.

Yeah, just curious about um like a resident portal, like actually having the ability for not to not just the city.

I mean, maybe that's what you're saying when you say the city will have access to it, but I'm curious if you could differentiate between you know, I think what Megan and her entire team versus like my neighbors who are wondering, did their trash get picked up?

Yeah, and then and thank you thank you for sharing that, sir.

Um when I reference the city uh having access, it would be city administration.

Um, we do have we do have not for this particular technology, but we do have track my truck where residents can sign up for individual based on their in they can include their own individual address to see if their address has been serviced.

It is a technology that's available today that a resident can sign up for track my truck.

That's great.

I I appreciate that.

I uh forgive my specificity, it will that be a part of the contract we are voting on.

Yes, that so that technology is available today for residents and will be a part.

Okay, the the technology I'm discussing today is real-time technology, and the track my truck is a delayed that shows it in segments, so it will show it as a street is being completed versus a real time.

This is a real time where we can pull up a truck and see where it is on route.

Uh what the city will be able to see where it is on route, as well as uh if there's an event that has occurred.

Cool, thanks.

Councilmember Gaddis.

Thank you.

Um, how long will the images be uh kept and logged?

Republic.

Yeah, so the we will have the the images.

I mean, we can their video, there's a video log of the images.

So I mean, they will be up for a year.

We will have those images uh in our in our database.

So every year it'll erase like how long do you store them?

Like we have flock cameras, they take pictures, we keep them in our database for 30 days, then they're erased.

How long will you keep store uh the video footage of our residents housing?

You know, uh and uh councilwoman, I I will say that I I probably would have to find out as far as how long we will store those.

Um I don't want to necessarily share information and it not be correct there, but I can tell you we will have them for at least a year.

Okay, I can do that by referral, and then um this is for the administration.

Will the technology that republic is sharing with the administration since it's going to the administration?

It is that going to be able to be uh work with Ptolemy so that we can get a printout of patterns?

Because when I drive the neighborhoods, I put the I put the addresses in and I can see patterns.

And if that if their technology is going to you, that doesn't necessarily help us as district members.

So it will they be compatible.

Sure.

So the goal of the technology is not only is it gonna be real time information that we have on where Republican will be going and servicing for our residents, but also it'll be a tool that we can use with engaged Toledo and the customer service representatives.

So when we have residents calling in to engage and asking about um pickups or stops, for example, that is something that we would be able to hopefully respond to them in real time and a little quicker than we can today.

That information we can look at as we're getting that information, how we could upload that into Ptolemy.

So any service uh city work service requests and stuff, of course, would be in there, but we could also look at getting the information from their database and seeing how it could work with Tolemy.

Okay, yeah, because I I think it's an interesting I I like the idea of the technology, Mr.

Harbour.

I I think it's got really good potential.

Um if there are people that are not getting their cans out regularly, I'd I'd like a place where I can see that because maybe as a district member, then I can go and do some mediation or see what's going on as well.

Um I just want to make sure my my residents are being served, and if I don't have access to that technology or that information, I can't do my part.

So thank you, Chair.

Mr.

Serancy.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

So I just want to clarify.

So if my garbage is not picked up, I call engage Toledo.

Engage Toledo will then immediately check and see what's going on and report back to me.

Is that accurate?

Okay, our republic.

Yeah, we would actually prefer that the resident call republic as they're the service provider there, and republic would have the real-time information.

But um if if residents do call, engage Toledo, you know, our hope is this technology would allow us to be able to respond to them quicker and have that information for that.

So the recording will remain where it says, you know, if you have an issue with trash to call Republic at such and such a number of things.

Yeah, it's all information on the cans and um when you call engage Toledo today, you know, you can press for Republic.

That would all remain.

That's what I wanted to clarify.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Of course.

Do we know how much uh uh uh a miscan costs us right now?

Every time we have to go back and pick one up, let's see.

If somebody calls and says my can wasn't picked up, and then we go back and pick it up.

How much does that cost us every time we do that?

Are you saying cost the city to do that or is that costing Republicans?

We have to send another person out and right.

I I'm I'm trying to drive the fact that this is about to save us some money potentially, right?

Like uh the reality is we'll be able to see if the person actually had their can out or not.

It's our our stance of perception still.

I mean it's it's a great to be able to see if the reason it wasn't picked up is it wasn't out there, that's more of an education to us.

We're still gonna go back and pick up that card.

So it wouldn't be like, hey, you didn't have your can out, we'll make sure we'll get it next week.

No, you're still gonna go get it.

Yes.

Great, okay.

Um Mr.

Melbourne.

Thanks.

Just one other quick thing.

I just think uh the the concern I have after Councilman Saranchi's question is it seems like we have a nice piece of technology that isn't actually making the customer experience any better.

And maybe I'm wrong, so correct me.

But like it it would be nice if the technology eliminated the need to try to talk to a person.

Because what will actually happen.

If I heard, if I understood what I just heard, what will happen is what happens now, which is someone doesn't get their can picked up, and if they have my cell phone number, they text me.

And then I call Rochelle, and we have a lovely card.

I text you, thank you for being so responsive to my text messages, and then it gets taken care of.

And that's like two more people involved than should be.

And so I'm just curious.

I mean, maybe it might be like a page on our website, you know, that just puts that feed up there, and then they can hit I have a problem.

Here's my address.

I don't know.

I'm just trying to get people out of it because it just slows it down.

And it's not me.

I love talking to my constituents.

We chat about other things.

But I'm saying it's not a great customer experience add-on, actually.

Unless I'm missing unless I'm misunderstanding.

If I am if I am, correct me.

Councilwoman Morris.

Thank you.

What I have found when people need to call in to Republic to the customer service line.

Sometimes they get people from other communities who aren't necessarily familiar with our community, and then they get misinformation.

So I don't know that it's on a regular basis, but when I have had people call in, they have been concerned that it's that the information is not getting to where it needs to go, or that the people don't understand our community.

And so, and maybe that's later on in your in your presentation.

But I just want that to be understood that if you know if we're still planning on having people call, and I'm I'm okay with people.

People are good things to me.

Um, if if we if we have them uh you know reaching in to make a complaint that they actually understand um our community and understand what we're talking about because what again what have I what I have experienced is same thing with Councilman Meldon is that um they feel like they haven't been heard through customer service, and then they say, Okay, well, um Teresa, can you help me with this?

And I do the same thing.

I contact Rochelle.

Thank you, Rochelle, for always answering our our concerns, and then hopefully we get some type of feedback that I can give back to the to the um constituent.

So again, it's that same you know circle that we end up having.

So it however we work this situation, if if you could keep that in mind, so thank you.

We have no more questions at this time.

If you can continue, thank you.

Next slide.

So it's an ongoing uh communication with in collaboration with the city of Toledo.

We are dedicated to maintaining an open line of communication.

Uh, one of the things we've had a couple of items that we've worked with the administration and we've heard you, City of Toledo, and some of the items that are important to you, and we'd like to address just a few of those.

And so, as you think about the community meetings, we are committed to continue the community meetings.

I know there are neighborhood block watches.

Many of you know Rochelle, you know, you have met Sean, you've met Rick.

Uh, we are committed to continuing to be a part of those, as well as the general council meetings, and then one of the things that I know that while we've had it as and it may not have necessarily uh been in the community, is the educational outreach that we have.

We have a dedicated program for K through 12 uh for recycling and waste, and our team is committed.

We've had a dedicated person uh to do monthly outreach.

I shared with uh council president to uh share with us some as well as the administration uh some schools that we could start with, and we would love your support and on the as a cross group of schools that we can support to to do the educational pieces as a part of the contract.

One of the other pieces that uh was really important to the city was the customer service, customer service data reporting and the SLAs, which you will hear more of today, uh service level agreements.

The service level agreements are accountability tools, they will hold the contractor accountable to miss pickups, to delays uh to several of the items, and Rick will discuss those items.

Uh, but we've worked with the administration, uh, taken some comments, and those items will be included uh in the next in the next contract.

So we will have reporting as it relates to the the SLAs as well as the status of any initiatives around the education educational programs.

Lastly, with shared media.

One of the items that we found that was it was an opportunity was to have joint communication regarding planned and unplanned uh interruptions.

So anytime that maybe a street is down or we have an outage or there's a weather delay, how do we work together with the administration to make sure that we have a coal message and that we're getting out a timely message?

And so we have we are certainly dedicated to making sure that we have worked with our comms team and the city's comms teams to make sure our messages are aligned as it relates to shared media, in addition to anything with the city's website or and or any of the social media pieces that to support any of the planned or unplanned outages.

The last portion of this is the service level agreements, these are items that will be included in the new contract, and so we will work through those and share those.

Oh, I'm sorry, yeah.

There we go.

And so Rick will now mark through the customer service plan, okay.

Um, first off, it's gonna be local specialized agents.

So, the request that you pull the microphone closer.

How's that better?

Okay, sorry.

So, first we're gonna talk about the local specialized agents.

So that's when you call republic services.

Um they're gonna be specialized dedicated agents to address the needs with knowledge in the city of Toledo.

So that's that's going to be their job, their focus is gonna be on the city of Toledo.

Um we are also going to provide a customer redemption supervisor for all of our business reviews.

They have the knowledge and information on the calls that are actually coming into the center.

So they'll be able to share that and discuss with that.

Um, and the other thing is is that we will be providing a logistic analyst that's going to be responsible for the city of Toledo.

And the um the customer service will be uh Monday through Friday from 7 30 a.m.

to 5 p.m.

The um account accessibility in we've a little talked about a little bit already is that the residents will have 24-7 online access at republic services.com or with the Republic Services app.

Um they'll be able to get real-time service alerts and um schedule additional services, uh, report missed pickups, or request a repair or replacement container.

So that gives that that that doesn't does um eliminate the call.

If you need a new cart, they'll be able to do it on the app.

They want to report a missed pickup, they'll be able to do that on the app, so that's all part of that program.

And then this has been talked about also is the service level agreements, and we're gonna go in more detail with them later on here.

Um, but these um excuse me, service level agreements uh are will in the new contract will align with the city of Toledo's agreed upon SLAs, and then some of the examples of that, and again we'll talk more about it.

It's hold time on when calling in for service uh and 24-hour response on cases on business days.

One moment, please, Councilmember Gaddis.

Thanks, Chair.

Um, I appreciate your communication plan.

Uh, one of the concerns I had that I'd brought up in a meeting is that in the brochure that you have on your website, there's conflicting information with the city of Toledo.

Are you going to have someone focused on updating your information or making sure that it's compatible with our Marcom department?

Yes.

Okay.

That's a huge thing when you when you print out your brochure and and you're giving it to a neighbor and it says something completely different than what the city has, and then I feel like I've been yelling from the rafters about it for at least a couple of years, and no one has updated it in Republic.

So I just want to make sure if we're moving forward with this with you as our provider and our partner, that the information is going to be the same, so that our residents have a clear line of communication.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think what they're seeing is the uh generic stuff when they're looking at that.

I think you're absolutely right.

We need to make sure the direct into the uh information that matches to lead.

Okay, I appreciate that.

Second of all, the customer service.

I have I I'm I'm a little, and maybe the administration can explain to us.

Um for the last 10 years, we've had um our residents call republic.

Um this year you came to us telling us we're going to set KPIs, and yet the customers are still going to call republic.

Are we just honoring those KPIs uh basing them on an honor system?

Because I would think, like, how do they are they providing the complaints to us, the numbers?

Like, how do we know they've met those goals of the KPIs if they're calling Republic and not for and not engage for instance, or if they're calling like uh uh councilwoman Morris said if they're calling us, or and I and I love Roshan, and she's a blessing, but or if they're my neighborhood leaders are reaching out to her.

How is all that going to be compiled?

Because there's so many avenues, and we're all going to be funneling them into republic.

There's like not one stream, and then we have to base that for those KPIs.

Could you explain that more?

Sure.

So um the idea would be that all of the information would be tracked.

So any information that comes into the city of Toledo through Engage Toledo would come into CityWorks, and every single call is logged.

So we would have that information.

We would also have all of the information that's coming in through Republic Services.

Currently, we meet with Republic Services on a monthly basis to review data that is coming in, the calls that Rochelle's getting, the calls that the call center is getting, etc.

And we go through that information.

Um, you know, there are Excel spreadsheets of that data that can in fact be verified as we're working through these service level agreements and the key performance indicators, the KPIs that Councilmember Gaddis mentioned.

Um we are also looking at what makes sense, right?

As far as the as percentages and how this how this information is going to be audited.

It is not possible for someone to go out and verify every single address every single day, every single time.

So what we're doing is we're looking at best practices through service level agreements through that other municipalities have done with their municipal provider um refuse and recycling providers, and we're also looking at what makes sense for the city of Toledo on the 94,000 households that we have and what those percentage markers would be for call uh you know missed pickups, for example, missed refuse and recycling for call times and the wait centers, and so um we're using those and that data and and really focusing more on percentage basis, okay.

I I hear you and I appreciate the hard work that you're doing, but I just as a council member this long, I would feel better if it was coming into our system so we could track it versus nothing against republic, but these are our numbers, it's our residents' hard money going into this stuff, and I just feel like we would be uh better representation.

I might be a minority in that, but I just want to get that on the record.

Thank you, Chair.

Of course, uh Councilman Driscoll.

Thank you, Chair.

Can we go back to the previous slide for a second?

Um what in this represents a change from what's going on right now?

So, how many specialized dedicated agents do we have right now dedicated to the city of Toledo?

Um, customer attention to all of that.

Can we just go kind of line by line?

What's different about our current arrangement with Republic currently and uh what's been presented on the slide here?

Well, in the first one, I'll say that currently it's it's more of you call in and it's gonna go to the available agent.

Where now it's gonna be going specific to specialized agents that have been trained on Toledo and understand the process here.

So that's a big difference there.

And are they only working Toledo or do they work other accounts?

It's um I believe it's gonna be specific to Toledo.

Okay.

So right now there's nobody specific to Toledo, but there would be two people specific to Toledo in the future.

Correct.

Uh, what about the other positions that you list here?

The customer retention supervisor, logistic analysts.

Yeah, so currently they're not part of those meetings, they're not part of those reviews, but we're bringing them in on those, and we think it's gonna be very helpful for everyone because of the understanding of the system and what's coming in and the explanation for it.

Okay, thank you.

Uh Councilwoman Morris.

Thank you.

Um, one of the things that I think is uh been a problem for us is uh was kind of the middleman that we had with the Lucas County uh waste uh folks having the contract, and then the city of Toledo perhaps not communicating with Republic and through Lucas County.

I think it was kind of a mess, honestly.

And so when we have an issue like Councilmember Meldon and Council Member Gaddis, you know, what we've done is we've we've contacted Rochelle.

Now that hasn't necessarily been in our city system, and so I guess this is more of a kind of uh how sausage is made, how how you're going to um figure out when I when someone contacts me, what is the what is the protocol to put it into any system?

Is it engaged Toledo and or is it through Republic?

How are we going to have those metrics?

I guess to communicate between the two of us and the members who are district, and and actually at large too.

I don't want to exclude them as well because they get those those uh kind of casework calls as well.

So I guess I just wanna make sure that we're all talking the same language so that we can make sure that these SLAs are really being adhered to.

So I don't know who wants to answer that question, perhaps um uh, you know, Megan, if you want to take it.

Yeah, I'm happy to answer it.

And maybe um I wasn't clear in my response earlier, so if I wasn't, I apologize.

Um all of those calls will be tracked and should be tracked through Republic Services and their mechanism that they use in the City of Toledo mechanism that we use through Engage Toledo and CityWorks.

When we come together to review the information, currently right now we do monthly meetings.

We anticipate those will continue.

We will have that data and it, you know, and be able to see what is happening on both sides and use and use that information that that in that data that is being collected both from the City of Toledo and Republic Services to determine if those service level commitments are being met.

I guess my question is so something happens uh and it's communicated perhaps to Republic, perhaps to engage Toledo.

They still get to us, right?

They still say Teresa Morris, this is still a problem.

I right now I go to Rochelle.

Rochelle gets me immediate information back, but you don't necessarily maybe you have it, maybe you have it.

I don't know.

I know I have it.

So I guess I just want to make sure that we are all in communication somehow.

Our case work that we do with what you do, so that everybody knows that the problem that I have, whether it was communicated to you guys or not, that it's still a service level agreement problem.

You know what I'm saying?

And so I just I want to make sure that all of us are talking the same language.

And so um when I was talking with councilwoman McPherson earlier today, who is not here.

She had said that perhaps you would give quarterly at least quarterly, um, maybe monthly, I don't know, um, reports to this committee, and that's up to the chair, but um, you know, just to kind of let us know how things are going.

So I think you in this situation, I don't think you can have too much communication, is really what I'm saying, and I want us to have a clear us up here on the dais to have a clear understanding as to how we fit in with what you're doing, because we're still gonna get them at some point, and I just want to make sure that you uh you get what we're doing and we get what you're doing, is really where I'm going with this.

So of course, and any information you would send to us or send to Republic would be logged, and then that would be reviewed during those monthly meetings, and then um I think if I am happy to, I think it would be appropriate to provide council quarterly reports on those service level commitments and where those percentages stand and where they're being met.

Okay thank you very much.

And we can certainly look at quarterly updates of the committee build them into other committee hearings.

Of course uh council president Williams.

Thank you so much I appreciate it.

Um I actually have to dip out to do family things so I really wanted to make a comment before I left um as one of or not if not the loudest opponent to um coming back to the table with Republic I want to say um uh I am pleasantly surprised and happy with where we're at um I mean not happy I'll say content um Sean actually Sean Warren from Republic Rick and even Jamani I actually spent two hours with these folks not joking I actually had two hours with Jamani and Sean just talking over some of my concerns.

Sean has been down I think every week we've had um a meeting to talk about different things and I actually shook the table at a meeting um with the administration um council and republic and they definitely heard my concerns and respected what I was saying um I believe here's here's the thing I believe we're on track to do better um with Republic and rebuild this relationship and if I say this you know it gotta be true because I was like I don't want to go back to the table I don't want to do anything um this contract actually saves the city six million versus the priority uh contract um this contract actually um has the KPIs in it this contract is ours we own it and we have um the capabilities of holding the uh company accountable um I also am really interested in having this at hot committee as well um with the Teamsters with Republic and with council and the administration to keep um building this relationship um with one of the districts that was definitely underserved it was underserved um and uh along with district three I do believe that it has gotten better um it's not all the way there yet but I am willing to get in the ring in this and make sure it gets better um one thing I will say is um as far as the KPIs uh I'm excited to see that we finally have that accountability measure for us um fighting for the last five and a half years was tiresome for me it was it was cumbersome for me because I'll say it again it felt racially and socially economically um damaging to the communities I serve and that's the reality whether you like it or not that will that was what was going on and sometimes we have to speak the truth for things to get done.

I do it a little bit differently um but I do it because I'm serious about really having a real impact um having uh the conversation with Jamani and Sean um actually uh open their eyes to I am not a bad person I'm just fighting for what's right and trash is a basic necessity that we pay for as residents and I'm willing to understand that there was some faults there but it was not on the residents of Toledo we put our trash out pick it up there were some things yes we we lack the education pieces there now we have it so I'm telling my colleagues, I am ready to get into this this um this relationship again.

Everybody need to clap with that.

I'm just saying I'm ready to get into this relationship again, but I'm ready to come into this relationship with authentic discussions.

There is no more you're not hearing us or we're not hearing you.

We are at this table.

Let's take this opportunity to grow this relationship.

Um now if you'all uh if y'all start slipping, just be clear.

I'ma tell that y'all slipping.

I'm gonna say it loud, but as I sit here today, um, the savings that is in this contract, and it was hard for me to say, okay, I'm gonna sit here and listen, but we need something.

So the savings here, I did see the camera systems, and I was I was definitely loving that.

Um we there is some stuff that we can work out as we go along, but like I say, I'm ready to get in this relationship.

I am excited about um trash improving.

I'm excited about the relationship being built, and I appreciate um everyone listening and being willing to uh understand that trash is important and it's important for the quality of life of our residents in Toledo.

That's all I got.

Thank you so much, Chair.

I appreciate that.

And please do not take my leaving as I'm done talking about this.

I actually have to go get a baby.

Thank you.

Councilmember Melvin.

Thanks.

Um call volumes last year, Toledo focused call volumes.

I'm curious how you came up with the number of two specialized call call takers, dedicated agents, I think is what it says.

So did you know what was what were the call volumes last year that you received?

How do you know two is the right number?

So much of the call volume, so you're not really paying apples to apples.

Last year we had a call-in bulk program, and so in order to have a bulk pickup, you had to call republic.

Today that doesn't exist.

Ever since January, when we implemented the five items, residents can send up to five items out on their regular trash pickup every week.

So that has eliminated call volume significantly of when you think about year over year, month over month, we've seen a significant downturn in the number of calls that we received because no one has to schedule bulk anymore.

I'll maybe I'll try a different question.

I appreciate that.

That makes sense to me.

Um, how did we come up with two dedicated agents?

So we worked with the um excuse me, director of our CRC area, and we looked at the numbers, and I don't have them in front of me and apologize for that, but we looked at the numbers of what's actually coming in.

As Jamani said, our numbers have dropped significantly from where they were.

Not just the bulk, but the service too has had improvement, and we've seen a reduction there too.

So based on that, that's where we came up with the two.

Now, if something happens and then we have to tweak something, then we'll obviously we'll look at it, but right now we feel confident that with what we have, we can handle the calls.

Okay.

Yeah, it's good to know you can adjust.

I mean, the only thing worse than calling someone who lives in Dallas trying to figure out what what Toledo means is calling two people in Toledo who never answered that might be really obvious, but that's what I'm getting at.

I'm just trying to protect against like if you miss that number for some reason, how do we adjust that at some point?

So that's all thanks.

Real uh real quick in terms of education too.

I just want to encourage uh a strong partnership with keeps Lucas County Beautiful.

I just came from a meeting.

I know that they've been in more than 20 schools this semester.

Uh alone.

So I just want to at least protect duplicity from occurring, right?

Make sure that we're uh hitting as many places as we can.

So I would encourage uh strong relationship with them.

Moving forward, and I believe that's all the questions from council at this time.

Never mind.

Councilman Serantu.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh this I'm directing these remarks to the administration.

So in uh researching the previous contract that uh Lucas County drew up.

There really were no provisions for accountability or consequences if things did not work out with Republic.

So my question is, is the City of Toledo administration have in this contract consequences, accountability.

Uh, if for some reason Republic is sold uh to another company, uh, and suddenly we have an issue where trash and bulk pickup is not being picked up in a timely manner, and we have all kinds of issues, are there consequences?

Or if Republic continues to have the company as it is today, but there's a failure of picking up and having bulk pickup occur on a timely basis.

What happens?

Sure.

So currently uh there is no contract.

The legislation before council allows us to enter into contract with Republic services.

However, through the negotiations and the discussions that we've been having with Republic Services, there are service level of commitment agreements that we are working through as far as missed collections, for example, communication, call times, returning, you know, getting a response to a customer who may have an issue in it in a timely manner.

So those would all be written into the contract if if council you know authorizes the legislation in front of you to allow us to enter into the agreement, and within that contract, there would be um provisions and requirements for uh republic to meet certain uh service level commitments at you know whatever percent is determined uh by us as as being what we think is appropriate.

If republic were to not meet those commitments, we would have uh flexibility within the contract to uh you know either end the contract, for example, or there would be some um some associated uh maybe uh cost requirements or you know, fee adjustments that would be in there if if those SLAs would be missed, financial penalties, in other words, yeah.

Yeah, that's what we're looking for because I was amazed that the county attorneys didn't have that in the previous agreement.

Uh so uh council will need to look at that document also.

I understand obviously that the contract hasn't been written yet because you don't have the authorization, but uh I would appreciate it if council would uh have the opportunity to look at that contract so that we're aware of what the provisions are because you know we we have a responsibility to our citizens, and we're asking them to pay fees for garbage, and they're gonna ask us well.

Wait a minute, you know, what are you doing to enforce the contract?

So I would appreciate that information.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

We're gonna get into some of the service level commitments and agreements that we've discussed with Republic and a little bit as we go further in the presentation.

Okay, thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Of course, Councilman Martinez.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I will defer my question until after the presentation because it's along Councilman Saranthu's uh questions more about enforcement.

Okay, who's gonna be responsible for it?

So I'll defer my questions.

Thank you.

Next slide.

So this time I'd like to just walk through you've had a preview uh from the from the administration on the proposal.

And so in front of you is the five-year rate proposal for 94,000 homes.

As shared by council president, this is a savings, but a year one cost of roughly over 11 million dollars, a total spend of 62 million, and per the contract uh the annual increase based on the bid specifications is three percent or garbage trash, whichever is lower.

So just wanted to share the annual contract value.

Uh it's a five year proposal with one year extensions.

Um that is the basis of the contract.

Rick will now walk through the service offerings as it relates to recycle waste and bulk collection.

So service will continue as it is, so recycling will be bi-weekly service, waste will be uh weekly, and as we started January 5th, um bulk collection will be weekly on the same day of the trash day.

A little bit on the bulk, um, the five-item limit, um, we accept furniture appliances, wrap mattresses, and so on and so forth.

Uh, and then all non-compliance set outs are stickered, and I think you all have a copy of the sticker.

They're stickered, and we took a picture of that and send it into the city.

Any questions?

Councilwoman Morris.

This is where I'm really concerned about is the bulk, and I think a lot of people are.

Like right now, I have a bulk set out that I've worked with Rochelle about, and there's more than five items.

And so what what we're gonna start seeing is is that so again we need to have education and everything, it's gonna be an adjustment, but right now there's a bulk set out, you know, that someone has put out.

I don't think it was a landlord, I think it was a person perhaps that is moving.

And uh so what I see is gonna happen is that we're gonna pay you 11 million dollars for this first year, but then we're also gonna have to employ people to pick up the bulk, if it's not something that is gonna be set out.

So another option could be that we don't pick it up and you just keep picking it up five items at a time.

I I just I have a real problem saying that we're gonna pay all of this money, but then we're still gonna have to pick up the bulk items.

And so one of the problems that I personally had is that my refrigerator took a dive, and so I had to throw out a lot of things, and so it was it was a lot of of items.

If you have a flood in your basement, if something happens, there is no real mechanism to deal with a larger issue that might be a one-off as opposed to a set out by a landlord.

So I guess I'm just trying to understand.

I don't want us to have to pay for things twice.

Um, and um, five items, I understand it.

I like that it's it's weekly.

I love that that works, but sometimes that that is more than five items, and so then we have to deal with our administration.

So we're paying for this twice.

So help me out.

Help help me understand what we're doing here for those kinds of a situation.

There actually is a process for for that type of situation.

Um, and what we're trying to do is encourage residents to rent a dumpster.

So if you have a situation that's gonna cause you to set out a lot at one time, like a flooded basement or something like that, um we're trying to create the situation, provide the education so that it's to drive that behavior that you rent a dumpster, which is the proper way to set that material out, rather than just set it out at the curb and risk being fined for that activity, um, and ultimately having the city have to use their resources to pick it up.

So it it really, it's a big educational lift.

Um, but um that's the type of behavior we're trying to drive to address those situations where you have more than the five items, and it's not um feasible for you to think, well, I'm gonna hold on to some of it and put it out each week.

Um, that's the mechanism you would use as you rent a small dumpster.

So I'm paying for my you know, my trash pickup, but now I'm also paying for a dumpster.

So there's already a duplicity.

So I'm just and again, I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just I'm just trying to understand what we're paying for.

Um, and I'm not being critical of, I'm just trying to understand.

And so when someone comes to me and says, I've already paid this money, why isn't it getting picked up?

That's that I want to have that answer.

So as a part of the contract, the proposed contract, it is the five items.

It's the five items for bulk.

And there's a couple of reasons why we're doing that, and I think you've heard me say this before.

There is definitely a fine line between uh, you know, picking everything up that goes to the curb and disposing it in our landfill, which we are paying for, and you know, we want to prolong the useful life of the landfill as much as we can, and also doing an education piece and encouraging our residents to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and that's really where we're focusing our efforts and where we want to move towards.

And if there are instances where someone does need to uh dispose of a number of items, and you'll hear further along in the presentation, we are encouraging them to get that small dumpster to disp dumpster, excuse me, to dispose of them properly.

But as far as their regular refuse and recycling collection and then the five items for bulk, we would really encourage those residents to try to reuse them, to try to recycle them as much as possible.

We encourage them to come to the clean Toledo Center.

If there's life left in that couch, bring it to us.

We want to make sure it gets donated to someone who can use it.

We want to make sure material gets recycled properly.

So we are offering other tools and other options for our residents to help them recycle.

And of course, the education piece that we would do in coordination with Keep Toledo Lucas County Beautiful Republic services would all serve for that effort.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for that question.

And while we're on the question, uh we will be talking about larger bulk set outs as the next piece of legislation in this committee.

And I think that there's probably an opportunity for us to engage with you all to maybe offer uh a dumpster at a set price so that way when we have landlords who are setting out large amounts, they could just contact you and perhaps it'll be a nice reasonable cost for them to be able to do so.

But I think we really have to figure out what that looks like.

But it would make a lot of sense if it was Republic that could provide that dumpster.

So we will be asking you about that uh in the future.

Councilmember Meldon.

Thank you.

I I'm certainly kind of tracking with uh I think the experience of my colleague councilwoman Morris.

And I think differentiating between the set out conversation, the next piece, and this particular notion of bulk is is worthwhile, at least in in my opinion.

It's an eviction, that kind of thing.

That's that feels like what the rest what the next conversation is targeted at.

I'm curious if you hadn't considered like a hybrid model of like you know, the five items smaller and then quarterly call ahead still for a bigger bulk thing that happens.

I mean, the truth is people are savvy and they're smart and they're creative, and what's gonna happen is people are gonna say, I'll just put five items out and let it just sit in my driveway until I do the next five.

And like, I mean, people will get around that's how it works, right?

Um that's not even there's no judgment in that actually.

It's just like how we're always just kind of, you know, it's a little Tom and Jerry game, I guess.

I'm just curious if you thought about like a hybrid situation.

I'm not saying you could just do the five things every single week and do the quarterly, so that one quarterly got really wild.

I mean, had you thought about something like a middle ground there?

Yeah, so actually, as a part of the proposal when we were seeking uh bids, we did approach bulk differently, you know, asking for ideas what other you know, what others looking at what other successful communities do who don't face maybe some of the same blight issues that we do, and um actually we had an idea that maybe you needed to segment the city, right?

Maybe we do it by district, and it's unlimited by district.

But um, you know, we found that was kind of hard to manage and track, and then also the provider um, you know, setting them up to be successful as well.

We're also dealing with what I had mentioned before with wanting to extend the useful life of the landfill and protecting that asset and the education piece and encouraging our residents to recycle.

We're bringing on a MRF here soon.

We want to make sure our residents are using that.

So trying to balance those two things is ultimately what we were trying to do.

So we did look at other models.

We also really came to the conclusion that successful cities who have seen a reduction in blight, who have had some blight challenges and then have actually found success in reducing blight and helping to educate their residents have gone with this model of the five items and having it be on their weekly collection days, so ultimately that's that's why we made that decision and went that route.

Okay.

Would you be open to still allowing people to have like twice a year call ahead, do a bigger bulk set out?

I mean, we're we're talking about the contract.

It is not something we put in the proposal for the bids.

Um, so I would I think that would be something that would have to be discussed with our law department and republic services.

I'm not sure if I can answer that right now.

Okay.

What do you guys think?

I would say we're we're we're looking to work with the city and talk through what are the best options for the city.

Yeah.

So I don't want to that's not a political answer.

That's really we want a partner.

So I'm not it's not a it's just not I think if I were in your position, I would probably answer it the same way.

So I think the idea is I think one of the things I think uh again the goal goal was to make sure we can eliminate the need to have to call in.

Sure.

Right, and to have a process that fits a large percentage of the residents.

We want to have a solution for all, yeah.

But we will get every as many as we can and something in the five items, not having to call, not having to guess when your bulk when bulk day is if we were to do those are today, you can just put it out.

You can put your five items out.

So we were trying to find the simplest cost-effective solution uh for the city at the time.

Yeah, I just want to put the only reason I'm driving at this is just to say I think like it is a reasonable experience for someone to have they're doing a home remodeling project or something, and I'm not saying they can just throw loose, you know, carpet that they've ripped out of their house, do you have a bundle it you have to but it was it felt reasonable to be able to call and say, Hey, I have this situation, and they would I mean they would always walk me through it, they would say it has to be cut and taped and sticks or whatever.

They were like, What are you putting out there?

Uh which I appreciate, you know.

I'm just saying I think that that could be interesting.

Some of the best some of the not I don't want to say best.

Some of the most interesting feedback I got when we switched to this five items thing, just do it every week, was people were like, Well, but what if like what if I have what if I'm gonna have more than that?

Like, I don't need to do it every week.

And so it was just it's just an interesting thing.

I was just curious.

I hear heard you say it's possible.

It feels like that's doubtful because we're kind of down the track here, but I just thought I should ask the question.

Sure.

I would encourage you to respond to your residents to encourage them to use our free disposal days at the landfill.

We are offering three clean Toledo events throughout this um summer, and then we of course have the clean Toledo Center that's opening in June.

So uh they could bring the all those recyclable items there, but free disposal days are also a tool that residents can use to get rid of those bark bulky large items that they might not be able to set out in this bulk collection.

Yeah, I mean that's okay.

I represent people.

I my job is to think about residents, and the reason they got that appliance on a delivery truck and they need to pick it up in their camry, is because it doesn't fit.

So when they go to get rid of it, it doesn't fit in their cameras then either.

And so I appreciate that.

I'm just saying like it's not that realistic to say, take it to the free place, you know.

Anyway, okay, thank you.

Councilman Martinez.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, so along the lines, uh, I guess as my colleagues have um just expressed, you know, so one of the big concerns is the bulk pickup for the residential side.

I think the landlord, as they said, it's a different issue altogether.

Um so we went from a free monthly bulk pickup as long as you called ahead, correct?

And now it's no bulk pickup, but it's bulk pickup five large items every week, correct?

Under this new contract, yeah, five five bulk items per week on your refuse day.

Right, so and then correct me if I'm wrong, but when the priority contract it was all unlimited bulk pickup, so the priority was very similar, they had an option for unlimited pickup within their contract, but um that was the same proposal where it would be five items on your refuse day, right?

But they also you could put large items in, they could just pick it up and you didn't have to schedule it.

Right, so the concern is uh again, as we represent a lot of constituents who are older and don't have the opportunity or the resources to take stuff to the recycling, or maybe it's so far past its useful life that it's needs to go into dumpster.

And I get protecting the asset, um, but bulk pickup is a big deal.

Um, whether it's a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual, however, it can be discussed.

That is for me uh a real issue.

So I have three like major complaints almost on a monthly basis, that's sidewalks number one, trees and trash, so and it's typically around bulk pick.

They republic has been very good uh about picking everything up, so there's no concern.

My concern is um moving forward because that expectation was there.

I know you just rolled this out in January, but there's still the expectation is I think a lot of my residents still don't know that they can't do monthly bulk pickup anymore.

So that's a concern, um, and we have to really consider that, uh, especially for district two.

So um I I trust you guys and this uh uh the this uh subcommittee, they've done a lot of great work to get us to where we're at.

Um, but this is just a a huge concern for me in my district.

So I just want to make sure that we're being very proactive about the bulk collection and having good robust conversation about it and find some sort of um medium win-win somewhere.

So thank you.

Councilmember Gaddis.

Thank you.

Um, two things.

One I'd like to ask about we see furniture, furniture, not sawed in half, completely set out couch, they will pick it up.

That's correct.

Okay, because there's like I was out driving my district looking at uh stuff, and there's a lot of furniture, and it's just one, it's so it's not I get I don't even um the piles, but like a couch, a chair, and they're not being picked up, so still struggling with that in district three.

Um the other thing just it, and and maybe this isn't for republic, maybe this is a uh this administration needs to, um, but in the vein of councilwoman Morris and Councilman Umden, um, when I think about the emergencies like the tornado in Point Place, the three days of no electricity in district five, and then the flooding on Arlington.

There are situations where there are blocks and blocks of people throwing away food, throwing away flooded basement things.

Are we going to require them all to get a dumpster, or is there a is there a way the city steps up in emergency?

Is there a way we partner with Republic to step up in these emergencies?

I think that's what I'm like what I'm hearing is there are e-siders are savvy.

Uh a guy's moving out, he knocks on all the doors, we put five items on every in front of everybody's house.

Like that's that's how we roll, but in a state of an emergency where the whole block is flooded, then we're all like you can't just game the system, right?

You can't be neighborly and get the garbage out where all have a flooded basement.

So I think that we need to have a plan for when those emergencies happen because they're happening more and more in our in our city.

So uh yeah, that is actually something we have talked about and discussed with our provider, and internally, those are unique situations, you're exactly right, and they need to be treated as such, and that's where the city team, along with the Republic Services team, and um, you know, our urban beautification blight team forestry, as we saw, you know, with the experience with the tornado would all step up and make sure we're doing what is appropriate for those residents and um through discussions, it does not appear that it would be an issue to make sure we address those independent from you know a current contract of five items, for example.

Okay, but but but even in situations of flooding or no electricity.

Of course, okay, okay.

Thank you, thank you, Chair.

Of course.

Councilwoman Jones.

Thank you, Chair.

I was gonna wait until after the presentation, but I have to take my children to their appointment.

Um, I know that you were be talking about the um SLAs in that instance.

I just wanted to put on record that I did offer for the monthly reports, um, either through, I mean, I know that we mentioned through this committee, but I'm also offering my committee because of the public health aspect.

I feel that with the public reporting, it will give the residents opportunity to possibly address any issues and, of course, hearing the data on in real time um and also if they have questions about just how Republic is doing or any concerns addressed.

So I did want to put that on record um in the event that there is not a monthly meeting per se then the um emailed reports will be fine because we can also share it with I know some council members have town halls and go to different events but I feel that we should have some in-person reporting at that aspect I also had the same question as councilman surround too as far as what that enforcement looked like the penalties if things are not met especially the KPIs and then also considering Adam come on now.

But then also um considering um what would be that threshold because I understand that it was further explained that even though it's a five year contract this could be treated as three as far as the um basically how things are going and if after that year three that it's not to our satisfaction then we have that option so I would want to you know see what in that hypothetical situation what would that look like as well and um also looking at um as far as the education piece I know that you talk about recycling with the kids and things of that nature but when it comes to high school or even trades are you talking to those about possible careers within this sector as well so if that I'm not sure if the SLAs are finalized I think it was a little um note at the bottom but I would want to definitely wanted to add that as far as especially with the committee reporting as well but um thank you just for being here and really having this explanation and giving all of the the information um I mean looking forward to seeing what what this will bring about I know the contract isn't finalized but um I'm glad that we're having this communication so it's a good start to this open communication and transparency.

Thank you chair.

Thank you.

Councilmember Melvin hey I know look I've been waiting for this meeting okay I've been excited about this one for a while um and I know we're gonna get to the SLAs but it's since it's on something we've talked about I just want to bring up the communication so I'm on the website I made sure I have my account I found so it's you know not a bad URL republic services.com slash accounts slash services is how you get to a quick missed pickup button.

I don't hate that that seems like reasonable I'm just curious this is kind of for the on the city side if we could just like flag that link somewhere just to make sure it's easy and just easy to get to I know Republic is not some like small company okay so to change the way your website is laid out is like pretty arrogant for me to even suggest however at the very top it does say pay bill see schedule customer support service lawyers it wouldn't be terrible if it was like miss pickups like some like can I can we get it as quick as possible for someone that's my quick suggestion.

And then I'm curious this is more of a question are you working on texting like texting uh nine you know nine zero zero five two or some number to say like hey miss pickup here's my address is that in your horizon relative to quick on-time communication yeah so uh as far as uh the way I I think we're always assessing customer opportunities and to improve the experience uh I don't I can't tell you that we have that particular function uh available the hardest part with that is and I think what you're saying is hey you text Republican and then we give you we give you a response the hardest part is is all is having making sure everyone not all trash pickups are like in a landlord situation.

The customer in the end user may not be the same person.

And so the text piece could be a bit challenging, but I would say that we are we're looking at all aspects of being able to communicate digitally with customers.

Yeah great that's great to hear.

Look, you will not you are not talking to a fan of first energy.

You are I am not, I would not be described that way.

And when the power goes out, you text the number, outage, and it says what's going on, and you reply, and there's like a quick thing back and forth.

Now, a couple months ago, anything past that, they were awful at.

But they did have that feature, and so it's just something that's really interesting, and it just makes the experience better for the resident.

That's my whole point.

There's that's the only thing I'm actually after.

So just an idea.

I know it's like it's look, it's tech, it's expensive, it's a platform.

Someone has to manage it on the on the kind of corporate calm side, but I think it would be a really cool tool.

Thank you.

If you would like to continue on with your presentation, I think there's a couple of slides left.

Next slide.

Also make sure that you're pleased speaking into the microphone.

It's being recorded for the record.

So, uh one of the before we wrap up with the SLAs, one of the other questions that I believe the city and council may have had some questions about the variable piece to a contract.

And the one variable piece that exists today in our contract and has existed in our previous contracts, and we're a part of the bid specs, was the fuel calculation.

So, what what is the fuel surcharge as it relates to fuel?

And so companies also have that as a part of their uh bid process as well, and the contract allows for it.

If you look at the middle of the page, it talks about the fuel adjustment.

It says fuel adjustment escalates above four dollars per gallon and decreases below three dollars per gallon, adjusted each quarter in three-month period.

It's an average cost from the US department of energy.

And so, and then there's a 20% um collection cost for the month, and there's a formula.

So, what we did, given that there was some sensitivity around this, put together a sensitivity table on what might happen in the event fuel prices were to change.

This is a lagging indicator, and the lagging indicator means that in order to get the fuel costs for let's take April, you have to get the average for January, February, and March.

That is then applied for the next quarter.

So, same way with for July, you would use the average of fuel for April, May, and June, and that factor is applied in July.

So it's a lagging indicator.

So if fuel cost was four dollars, uh there's no additional charge to uh the city.

Uh, if fuel in this example that I highlighted was an average of five dollars for the court the previous quarter, there would be a 54 cents per home fuel charge that's added, and that amount would be the month the monthly adjustment amount would be 50,760.

This information is all part of the bid specifications and contract.

It's standard to what we've done in the last two contracts.

So I wanted to make sure we had the conversation given that uh when we were working with the administration there were some questions around this, and I wanted to make sure and be here to answer any questions as it relates to the fuel uh adjustment.

Chief Robson, do we how do how are we buying fuel?

Are we buying fuel bulk for fleet and different things that we use?

Sure.

So there's a couple of different ways that we bought buy fuel.

We do um buy it in bulk.

Uh we have fuel trucks that go around and make drops to our fueling sites and locations and some of that heavy equipment that can't go to you know a gas station, for example, in the community.

We also have uh Mansfield fuel cards for a number of our divisions of departments who utilize vehicles more regularly, our police department, for example, um, uh code enforcement, etc.

They have fuel cards and then they can go fuel up at gas stations in the Toledo area.

Are we are we getting like a um like a bulk rate over an annualized period?

Yeah, we do receive a bulk rate.

I would have to take by way of referral what that is or how it's changed or whatever, but yeah, we do get a a special rate from we ever thought about sharing that with vendors under contract and buying it at a higher bulk volume but to give savings all the way around.

I do not know I could look into that.

I'm not sure if we can explore that it feels like not applicable probably to this exact table I'm looking at here although it is very sensitive.

That's a good title for that table.

It just seems like it could be something right I mean if we're whoever we're contracting with we could say here's what we think they're gonna use in two years two through four or five of this contract when we go to buy bulk fuel again can we wrap them in?

I don't know.

Just curious yeah I think one of the things we'd have to take into consideration are what size tanks do we have do we have the capacity to add more bulk or are we already you know filling those tanks and using you know what we need for ourselves.

So we have to have a talk with commissioner uh Aikman and and see what the possibilities are I would love it if you could dig into that thanks Councilman Martinez.

Thank you Mr.

Chair so I while I say this tongue in cheek we should have more capacity as we transfer fuel driven cars in our fleet to electric so we should have more space I would think so um but my question is so if it drops for some reason do we get a cost savings or a um some sort of credit to reduce our overall cost and if at what point does gas have to be in order to get that yes so per the contract three dollars if it drops below three dollars for the quarter so remember it's a quarter average then the credit will be uh given to the city uh for the fuel surcharge so you would get a deduction off of the amount that you would all gotcha and then I'm assuming these are diesel vehicles that is they're not typically gas okay and so we can wish we can hope you know but um that that's good that then and that thank you for that clarification thank you.

Councilman Tristol thank you chair yeah just uh real quick on this going back to the point about bulk I mean republics also probably buying fuel in bulk somewhere right because they're filling up at gas stations correct so this this table represents the department of energy's uh average gas price throughout the country but it does not necessarily represent what republic is paying is that correct yeah so this table was these are based on the bid specifications so so you so I get my point is you guys could be paying far less than what's actually reflected in the table so if the deal if the doe says the average gas price is five twenty five over the course of three months we'd be paying a surcharge e but that may not actually reflect what is happening to Republic's bottom line.

Do you understand the point I'm making yes understand.

So uh I don't know that is some probably something to dig into as we go through this contract because it could be the case you guys are cert you know we're we're paying a surcharge even though it's not reflective of reality um you know I mean it feels like we might be kicking back to a company that didn't actually need anything that they weren't actually paying anymore.

And I mean maybe that's maybe the DOE standard's the only thing that we could sort of agree on.

So I guess that it's an interesting metric in that regard but if Republic's not actually paying more which could be the case why the heck should our residents be does that make sense.

Understood understood so I think when this and I I can't tell you what why this specific this specific measure was used other than it's an industry standard.

But I think there's a risk on both sides right because if you were a smaller company and your fuel was much higher then that the risk could be higher on the other side for the company so I I get what you're saying and yeah I think this is something the administration pay real close attention to as over the course of the um contract negotiations.

I appreciate the answer though.

Thank you.

Councilman Martinez.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Just to piggyback on what he was saying.

I think what he was alluding to is, you know, they should kind of be based on the Toledo MSA, right?

That's where we are doing business and where the gas prices are.

So it would make sense.

While this is the national may not reflect our region I I think was the the point.

So if we can maybe have look at this and have it adjusted to actually reflect the Toledo MSA, that would be helpful.

Thank you.

Absolutely.

Alright, we'll have uh Rick wrap up with uh service level agreements and any other questions at that point.

Okay, so I'm gonna go over the um service level agreements that the uh city of Toledo Republic have aligned in concept on the following ones.

So the first one is monthly service completion rate.

So that'll be a percentage of basically uh successful service, um, failure to deliver containers within three business days, failure to clean any scattered or spilled refusal recycling matter within uh determined hours, service compliant response within 24 hours, so that would be resolving an issue.

Uh, what maybe that's been called in?

Uh monthly annual data reports emailed to the city of Toledo by the fifth business day.

The monthly average speed of answer less than a determined uh number of minutes, failure to communicate to the city of Toledo andor customers on a planned and unplanned service delivery delays.

Republic services will commit to attending a determined number of events a month.

These events will consist of community or city of Toledo school events, and they're the obviously the timing, the hours is all gonna be termed in negotiation.

All right, any questions?

Councilmember Melbourne.

Thank you.

Um I do.

I think the questions I have are like, what are they gonna be?

I'm a little thrown.

Like I I gotta say, I was most excited to see what the maybe were in the parentheses, like the X.

Like what are what are the these are this is like concepts of a plan.

Yeah.

Uh we're currently working with Republic on what those percentages would be, uh, that we would finalize as a part of uh the contract.

So we um have had some um we have had some discussion, you know.

Ultimately, when we proposed, we said, okay, you can't miss you know, X number of pickups per day.

That's really hard to monitor, as I mentioned earlier, right?

Like someone to go through and just like track every single truck every single day.

So then we said okay, these service level agreements, best practice are usually they're done monthly.

What is a percentage rate look like?

Um, what is what is it that that feels appropriate for um the provider and also for the city of Toledo.

So we are going through that right now.

We're having some conversations.

I think council will be a large part of those conversations and the experiences you've had um specific to those district council persons and the members at a whole of the experiences and what you feel are appropriate percentage requirements based on the 94,000 households that are being serviced.

Okay.

So since we are council and we are here talking about it, let's talk about it.

I have a couple of thoughts or questions.

One question is, um, no, not a question, a request, I guess.

On number seven, just to really define what it means to communicate would be really really helpful.

There's no point in like, oh, we did.

We told them like on the website.

And I'm not saying I want you to be, I want to be very clear.

I'm not trying to come at republic.

There's nothing I want more than for us to never have to talk about this again.

You know, there's nothing I went more for our residents to never have to think about it again.

Like all I'm after is something that works, and we're gonna partner and be working really well together.

One of the ways we're gonna do that better is if we are very clear about this page in particular, and so failure to communicate.

I would just not say communicate and say give notice via our texting platform or give notice via email, whatever that means, be more specific about it.

And then any time we have this like X percent or within X minutes, um, you know, what quote did I hear recently?

I love so much, and God we trust, all others bring data, uh, which I think is fun.

And so, like, what is the industry standard average on all of these things?

And how are we you know punching above our weight class there?

How are we, you know, uh exceeding or meeting that average?

I don't think any of us are interested in a contract that's like we're gonna hold you accountable to being not as good as the average, right?

So we would want it higher than that, but what is that?

Uh Chief Robson brought up a really good point.

Relative to 94,000, you know, households.

Uh, we don't need a mark you know, market that's like, well, in this little suburb of 12,000 people, would they crush it at this level?

And we're also not New York City.

So I like we gotta just what is that industry standard average?

I'm no expert in that.

Um, hopefully, we're there, and then also number four service compliant.

At first I thought that was like almost a typo.

Does it mean to say complaint, but service compliant response within 24 hours?

Just defining what that actually looks like.

Um, but I I'd be excited to see this when it is filled out, those are just my initial thoughts.

Um, and then the other thing I would say is so this happens, and this is now a question, and you know, we missed in a couple areas, and there's like a penalty.

Councilman Serantu brushed up against this earlier.

What what are the what are we thinking there?

What does that mean?

Is it like at the end of the year we settle up and it was like here's a service provided, here's the fuel surcharge because this pesky war lasted longer than someone thought it would.

Um and gas prices never calmed down, and then here's where we missed our SLAs, and you got a credit of X amount.

Is that what we're thinking?

That is along the lines of what we're thinking.

We do get invoice monthly, so uh we have monthly meetings, and that's where the information would be reviewed, and you exactly along the lines of what we're thinking is you know, whatever that SLA is, there's you know, you have to meet 99.9% of all elections on every given day, right?

You know, so 99%, for example, of 94,000 households allows X number of misses, and if it's more than that, um, then there would be a penalty associated with that, and we would work with Republic to, you know, to determine then what that means that monthly invoice would be just as an example.

And let's so let's say that the at the end of the day, the you know, the 11.7 million turns out to be 11.5.

Sure.

What what happens to that 200,000?

So that is in the general fund.

So that would be um so per the legislation that you have before you, you know, you're authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of an amount not to seed X millions of dollars for the Republic contract.

If we weren't to do that on an annual basis, that remaining balance would um stay in the general fund, it would stay in that appropriated line item until there was a piece of legislation that disappropriated it, or until that year is complete and it goes back to the fund balance.

Okay, so at that point, uh I'm looking for all my colleagues to join me on bringing forward a disappropriation to send it out to 94,000 households in a rebate check because they're the ones that lost out on the service, not us.

Our budget didn't get hurt, our budget didn't miss garbage over Christmas break and have wrapping paper blowing all over their neighborhood in a winter storm.

Our residents did.

So if it's four dollars per household, yep, I'm gonna have some admin real mad that we're spending more than that on postage, but that's I understand that's how it goes, but whatever that number is, and I'm sure Republic's like, There's not even gonna be a number, we're gonna hit the numbers, you're not even gonna have to worry about that.

Good for you, it'd be easier work for us.

But in the moment that there's money, I think we should give it back to the residents.

So good to know that's the timing on it.

I think I should be should be done now.

Thank you, Chair.

You're welcome.

I do want to just acknowledge that when we were discussing the SLA's, we didn't necessarily come up with these on our own, right?

They came from best practices elsewhere.

So and I believe by looking at communities similar to our size.

So, you know, we're heading in the right direction, I believe.

Um, council member Gaddis.

Thanks.

Thank you for this.

Um I I number one, the monthly service completion rate.

Are you going to break it down into um garbage can recycling can and bulk, or is it all grouped together?

They would all be together.

I think it was all together.

So as long as you pick up all the trash cans and recycling, you can suck on bulk and it do you see what I'm saying?

Like I think there should be a goal for each one, especially in my district where we struggle on bulk.

Um because if we want to see the needle move, that's that's where the residents would like to see the needle move.

Um number three, the failure to clean any scattered or spilled.

Does that include liquid?

Because I get resident uh I've heard a lot of feedback from residents of like uh liquid being spilled from the trucks.

So will that include liquid?

Yes, that would include it.

Okay, and then are we going to um as a uh someone dating a quality control engineer?

Are we going to do quality control audits uh with our data with our auditors?

Are we gonna send them out to neighborhoods to just double check?

Or are we just trusting like how are we?

Yeah, we would love to live in the world of just trusting, but we have quality control specialists who are going out and auditing um uh um, you know, grass and other items within urban beautification, and actually we've already been doing audits with our bulk collection and the changes, so we would we would utilize some sort of mechanism there where we would be checking um through like an audit type process.

Would um any of that information hit council's desk?

Oh, I would imagine when we do some type of quarterly update and when we're talking about the service level agreement commitments and where they stand, um uh, you know, all of that information would be included similar to some of the updates we have given the council previously on where our uh bulk collection stand for missed pickups and what our blight team has had to handle, etc.

Yeah, I would anticipate you would it would still be that shared information that we're providing the council now.

Okay, I appreciate that.

Thank you, Chair.

Of course.

Councilwoman Morris.

Thank you.

And um, I think that there should be something in this contract that talks about emergency pickups, um, you know, like the tornado, uh, that it was experienced in my community, like the um power outage.

Uh I think there should be something I know that you know, I know that it was it was a human response to help, okay, and that's wonderful.

But if you don't quantify it in a contract, it it doesn't exist, and and so I I just wanted I would like to see that in there.

And then when can we expect these Xs to be filled?

Um when are they going to be filled?

Like, I I don't know that I can vote on a contract if I don't know the specifics of that.

So, you know, when can we expect that?

So part of um where we currently are is we need the authorization from council to be able to um enter into contract with Republic, and so we are having as much conversation and negotiations we can at that time, but there is a piece allowing the expenditure allowing us to enter into contract with Republic that uh we need to move forward with so our legal teams can you know get together and and continue this.

Uh we would hope that we would have this as as soon as possible.

Our current contract with Republic ends uh in August, as we know.

So we would love to have this in place uh before then.

So I guess I just want to make sure I'm understanding you're asking us to authorize you to enter into the contract, and we're gonna pay the money, right?

I I guess I'm just trying to understand just for everybody to be on the same page.

Sure.

So the legislation in front of council is authorizing the expenditure of an amount um to not exceed, I don't have it right in front of me.

I believe it's 13 uh million on an annual basis, and also waiving competitive bidding, allowing us to enter into contract with Republic's services for a refuse and recycling contract that would begin on September 1st for a term of five years with five uh one year annual renewals is what you would be allowing us to do.

Once the contract once that's approved, we would then work, of course, with our team and the legal teams, both at the city and republic to complete a contract within that contract.

There would be service level agreement commitments, there would be um you know the the fuel adjustments, etc.

that um Giamani had mentioned before, and all of all of the legal terms that that both parties would need to adhere to.

And I'm sorry, I've got a migraine today.

So you you want us to vote on this without having these X's finished?

I'm not saying you personally, but in general, this is what we would be doing.

Council is allowing us to enter into a contract with Republic Services for curbside refuse and recycling collection in the city of Toledo starting September 1st.

But without the service level agreements defined, correct.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Councilman Martinez.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh so just a if you I think everyone pretty much has touched base on some of my questions, so I don't want to belabor the point, but I guess my question is with uh enforcement, you know, is there a third independent third party to do audits or anything like that?

At this time, we do not currently have a third party.

We have quality control specialists who work who are city of Toledo employees who uh when we when just an example, they they do lots of of work on a daily basis.

One example related to Republic specifically is we had them go out and do um spot check audits when we switched our our bulk collection services to the five items, great.

So we're relying on republic's data, and we double check it randomly.

Yeah, we have data as well.

Okay, so is the shared data in real time or is it there is there a delay?

So the reason I'm asking, if we're gonna do an audit, you know, we get the stuff a month later and then we go back and double check everything, or do we have real-time?

No, everything is recorded in real time.

Okay.

If that helps answer your question, uh sort of, but I I get it.

We meet monthly.

So everything, all the data is recorded in real time.

We meet monthly with republic services to review that data.

We don't meet on a daily basis with republic services.

Gotcha.

But your inspectors, if you will, your quality control specialists, how often do they audit or go out of the field?

I'm not sure on the time period, but they were going out routinely in every single district and they were looking, you know, and we were doing some random spot checks for them to go multiple days.

And how many audit how many quality control personnel do we have?

Um, currently we have three quality control specialists, three quality control specialists.

Okay.

Um and then so the enforcement comes from the administration in terms of they have any findings.

So the enforcement as far as on the contract or any penalties, yes.

Yeah, it would be something that we would we would know data would tell us that information.

We would be the idea here is for the city of Toledo and Republic Services to be partners and to provide the best service for our residents.

So we would be in constant communication with republic services, and as we're checking on those SLA monthly, I I wouldn't anticipate and hope there wouldn't be any sort of severe disagreement on what the data is telling us.

Totally understand that we check but verify and the previous experiences makes us even more so you gotta understand where we're coming from.

I 100% understand where you're coming from.

So I just want to make sure that while yes, you know, they've asked for a second chance, you know, they have support from their um their their members and and their uh employees, and we're willing to do that and work with them.

I just want to make sure we are being holding them accountable, and we have a mechanism to do that.

Absolutely.

You know, I think throughout this process, as we've had discussions as member of council, as we've been discussing, you know, it would be a goal, right?

That we would get to utilize all those wonderful employees that work in our blight team for other areas of the city.

That would be a goal of mine, right?

That that is the level of service I would like this contract to provide to our residents so that we're not only uh you know helping our residents with their waste with their recycling, we're educating our residents on best practices and um how to recycle materials properly, right?

But we're also seeing some savings internally.

We're able to utilize those wonderful employees in other areas of our urban beautification team, and they're not um out there picking up bulk and blight that is being missed.

So, so um I I I know it is difficult because we don't have those percentages in there, and it's this weird uh time period where we need to work with the attorneys on both ends to get them in there, but but but please know we want to provide the best services to our residents.

We have internal goals to make sure we're meeting those requirements and and working with Republic to move forward as partners and do what's best for the community.

And that's great, but I want to know what the mechanism to actually hold them accountable is.

Sure, money, and that's fine, but then how do we do it?

Do we have this enough support internally to actually do it?

So, one tool that we we will have in this upcoming contract that we haven't had in the past is that portal.

Um, so you know, they showed how there's gonna be red red dots and yellow dots and blue dots.

So, you know, that's a tool for us to go in and and virtually do spot checks, right?

And it's not just looking at what color dot there is, but those dots are associated with video.

Um so if we're getting feedback from from district three, we can spend some time on that portal and start looking at those dots and saying, does this really seem like it's matching up with the data we're getting from Republic?

Um, it might take a little effort on on our time, um, but it's a tool we can use if we have any inkling that there may be some irregularities in that that data that we're receiving.

Okay, that that's great to know.

And so now my question is so we have a tool, now we just got to make sure we have enough manpower to actually do it.

And that was kind of what I was alluding to.

Okay, so okay, I'm a little bit more comfortable now that we we have it, we have a mechanism, we have a tool to use, we have some support staff, um, just to double check anything.

And I guess my other question is really to republic in terms of with these new SLAs, you know, how does this actually impact the workforce?

So I want to make sure that everyone's comfortable with this new agreement that this you know that we're working with the teams in um lock step, so there's no surprises moving forward that we have a a workforce that was very, very adamant about keeping this contract, we're very supportive of them.

We want to make sure how this new contract, at least I want to know how this contract is gonna impact them.

Ken, you are you able to answer that at all?

I think I mean you you said it already, they're excited to continue being partner with City of Toledo, and I think that, and if you're referring to staffing, we're in a great level at safe level right now.

We'll continue that through this.

We're constantly looking at and constantly adjusting as needed.

Okay, great, thank you.

Thanks.

Because of time, and because councilwoman Kramer hasn't asked any questions yet, I will call on you.

The rest of the lights that I have, I'm gonna hold until after public comment.

There is a meeting in this room at four o'clock.

So I definitely want to make sure we make the space for the public.

So, Councilwoman Kramer, the floor is yours if you could be as succinct as possible.

Thank you.

I will be very succinct.

Thank you for the presentation.

I really appreciate it.

Um, my question goes to kind of a lot of the other concerns here with the X's on the SLAs.

Um, and I guess this question is maybe for uh Megan is could council have input in what those numbers are.

Absolutely.

Okay, as far as um the the percentages, yeah.

Because I think that's a hang up that some of us have up here.

Like these numbers could be anything, and we want to make sure that we're giving we're providing our residents the best service that we can, and so if we can have some perspective for some input on that, that would be great.

Sure.

What we could do is we have some ideas uh that we've been tossing around as far as what are those percentages look like and how they equate, right?

So, so okay, if you're allowing 99%, you know, you want to meet a 99% threshold as far as collection services on a monthly basis.

Like what does that mean?

Okay, that means a thousand households could essentially be missed, right?

Like, so we want to provide some of that data, some of that information, and then have those conversations with council members.

I think I think you know, we are having healthy discussions and communication with Republic, and we expect that to continue.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

So, first up, uh, from for public comment, I have Deanna Schreiner.

Diana Schreiner looks like in the my bad.

It's been a long time since I've seen cursive, you know.

Um I'm here to speak concerning the uh set outs and the evictions in Bancroft Hills.

We have plenty due to the students moving out and subsidized housing moving out.

The students bring furniture that they intend to use one to four years, and then they leave it, and then the subsidized housing, they have furniture, but they're unable to move it because they don't have the money, so they just leave it and move.

Landlords in both cases just set it out in any fashion, what they they can to have Republic pick it up.

I have pictures if you need any.

I believe it should be that they get a dumpster with a limited time level and take care of it that way because if they, because it is a tax deduction.

The landlords put it out, and if they put it out in plastic bags, we have the scrappers come by, they slice the bags, throw the stuff everywhere, then the landlords are probably out of town or out of state, and so they don't come back and they leave us this big mess.

And and um there are no laws to prevent the scrappers from doing this because I saw it in broad daylight.

We I called the police and they said there's nothing they can do, and they became aggressive when we approach them.

But a dumpster would eliminate all this.

The bags would be inside, and the garbage would be gone.

Often landlords are out of the city or the state, so they don't care how things look in our neighborhoods.

Once they do a clean out, they're done.

They may not be back for weeks until the nuisance abatement inspector comes, which takes time.

He sends him tickets, that takes time.

The landlords may comply and they may not.

We live with the mess, then often the blight team has to come, which also takes time.

It is not a republic issue, but a landlord one.

We are trying to keep our neighborhoods clean and beautiful, but we need your help.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for your comments.

Uh up next, Fanny Effler.

Hello, City Council.

It's been a busy time for trash these last several months.

Fanny Effler, 2830 Collingwood Boulevard, and I'm in the Toledo Old Town neighborhood, and Republic has been great with us.

They've come to our neighborhood meetings.

I I've never had any complaints.

I've I've advocated for Republic to have this contract.

I'm I'm glad things are going well, but I'm asking City Council, please stay on this contract.

You're the guys who are having all the problems, all the phone calls, this and that.

Um, we handle a lot within our own neighborhood.

So I don't know that you've gotten a lot of calls from us, but uh those of you who've been complaining, you stay on this contract.

It was uh I know East Toledo was advocating that it be a two-year contract, not a five-year.

So I think, yeah, just be a I'm glad to hear the questions.

So Republic's been great.

Here's my issue, though, and I didn't hear it today.

There's $18, you're raising us our refuse fee.

Is that another hearing date or is that supposed to be today?

It's a slide coming up next, so you're ahead, but it's okay.

You can't you you're kicking us out at four.

How do you come up with I'm uh all right?

Alright, well, so here, good, okay, perfect, great.

So I was really pleased to hear uh your council president say we're saving eight million bucks, so give us a break on this sixty percent increase in our refuse fee.

Everyone says, Oh, well, the homestead, the homestead is great for us old folks.

How about the folks who aren't old?

Do you know 18 a 60 percent increase?

And I want you to think about it within the context of what we do in this city and county.

We sit on delinquencies, city, Toledo, water delinquency, 50 mil.

I understand.

They're trying now to collect.

Great, but all these years, 50 million bucks.

Now, 18 bucks doesn't sound like a lot.

And then you say you're phasing it in.

No, that's 60 percent this June, I think.

60% increase to eighteen bucks, then maybe a dollar the next year and a dollar the next year up to 20.

Okay, and I just get my info from the blade.

That's all I know.

Um, but give us a break.

Think of the context.

Collect the delinquent.

Now the county does the same dang thing with taxes 150 million dollars in delinquent taxes until they get their money to put to demolish us.

No, get proactive city and county.

I'm lumping you guys together.

Get a partnership.

Collect your delinquencies before you hit us with new expenses.

Those of us who are paying.

I live in a neighborhood of multi-unit properties.

18 bucks per unit.

That so if you got a three unit, 54 bucks a month for our refuse.

I love our refuse.

We need it, and now though we have to get dumpsters too.

It's like, oh my gosh.

Do us a good faith favor.

Don't raise us 60% on our refuse.

Get the city to keep doing its action of collecting delinquencies, and I want you to know the word on the street, because I do a lot of work on the street in my neighborhoods.

You don't have to pay water, you don't have to pay taxes because nobody does nothing.

You don't pay gas, you don't pay electric.

Guess what?

They're on you fast.

Taxes, they're never on you until they demolish you, and then you're they're still not on you.

Water.

I've got neighbors who I just had a neighbor leave last year, left just left her house, owing two grand in water, two grand in taxes, and walks away, and that's it.

I'm sure there, I know there are lots of people.

They're the last bills to pay if you ever pay them water and taxes.

So within that context of all the money that's owed to everybody in the city and the county, give us a break, those of us who are paying.

I mean, eighteen bucks doesn't sound like much in the context, but you think about it.

Just phase us in a little bit, okay?

That's all I have.

Thanks so much.

Thank you.

Um Janice Flayff.

Thank you.

Uh good afternoon.

Can you hear me?

We can.

Uh my thanks to all here today, city council members, city representative, sergeant at arms, republic representatives, members of the press, and fellow Toledoans, thank you.

Um I wrote this before the meeting.

Now I know I got more questions.

You're gonna hear from me.

Um I'll be polite, I promise.

Uh my name is Janice Flayff.

I've been in Point Place for 28 years.

I'm thankful City Council has worked well on this proposed um contract, especially the part that Republic's um control will be up for renewal each of the five years pending quality of service.

Thank you.

Also, I believe Republic will build on the good they've done the past year.

I know you have tried to keep costs under control in light of fuel labor costs, and Lord knows we don't have any control, especially fuel, and I shall say no more.

However, the initial annual increases, I I really think this is too much for the average um Toledo one, and that's all I'm gonna say because you've heard a person before me.

Um, so and I ask that you please revisit charges on proposed, um, including the recycling of landfill, and consider doing what you can and reducing or cutting anything in the proposed budget that is not in my humble opinion for the common good.

Um you all aren't gonna agree with me.

Um I'm not going into details for the sake of time.

Um, I changed this so many times.

Um, anyways, in closing, I want to thank you all, everybody, for listening, not only to us, to each other, and continuing to work for the common good.

Blessings.

Thank you so much.

Um, last I have Mark Schmiehausen.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

As you well know, I all I myself have a vested interest in what is going on with this contract.

For the last 10 months, I've had many conversations with some of you, along with Republic and the Mayor.

One of my concerns is after doing my own research is one of the city's own documents, which is appendix B, which is the rules and regulations issued by the Director of Public Service regulations governing refuge and recycling collection.

It speaks to bulk pickup.

And that has been the hot point of this discussion since it started ten months ago.

There's been council men and women that have asked what are we going to do about enforcement?

This document guides the Solid Waste Director and City Council on how to enforce the rules and regulations that it's the agreement between the City of Toledo generated by the City of Toledo and any provider and the residents of the City of Toledo within all districts.

So whatever rules or SLAs that are generated.

Because it is the landlords that are creating this problem.

And everyone knows it.

No one's doing anything to enforce it.

There's a fine that speaks to enforcing the rules.

And I would ask the next time we meet to give us the residents of City Toledo, what has city council done to go after folks and find them, and how much money has the city collected over the last five years of this extension on this renewal.

It also guides us on what you can put out and what you can't.

Councilwoman Morris has to bought a refrigerator.

You're not allowed to put refrigerators out on the curb per years.

You're not allowed to put washing machines out on the curb.

You're not allowed to put whitewares out on the curb.

It guides you on what you can and cannot put out on the curb, but there's never been any enforcement.

So if we're gonna work together and seeing a positive direction in cleaning up the city of Toledo, then I would ask everybody to follow what the city has put together.

Also, there's been some discussion about creating an ad hoc committee back in March.

I think that's extremely important that the representatives of the districts, the block watch uh captains, representatives from the city, republic, and the teamsters union meet once is once a month, quarterly, or whatever we feel that's appropriate to keep an eye on this.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

I wish that we had time to continue the discussion on the next piece because I think it speaks exactly to what you're saying in terms of our enforcement on bulk.

We have a proposed ordinance in front of city council.

Um, we're not gonna get to it today.

Um I anticipated that we might not uh take a vote on it this coming Tuesday.

Um at any rate, so um we will have another schedule another hearing so we can make sure we get that uh opportunity.

Um it's clear from the folks who came forward that that is a concern um and identifying where the problem is.

So we very much believe that we are heading in a direction to tackle these issues.

I think that um these discussions have certainly illuminated an awful lot about the processes that we've had in the past.

Um I I think that importantly, um, you know, part of the the best part of the discussion that we're having right now is that you know we're adding in service level agreements.

We are we're taking time to to put some teeth into a process that previously for us had none.

We had no mechanisms.

So I'm grateful to uh the administration folks who have uh taken the time to uh research all these items.

So uh, I'll just quickly say thank you to to Meg and Ryan, Jenny, Joe, Abby, all of you for uh pushing us, uh, pushing us and pushing Republic, quite frankly.

Um and on that know I'm very grateful to Republic as well for uh coming to the table.

Um I think in good faith.

Uh it's not been it was it wasn't easy going into this for any of us, any of us.

Um, but I think that uh we've certainly been able to work well together uh through this process.

I think that what is clear is that accountability matters more than almost anything.

Um and so we will be doing our best to uh hold everyone accountable.

But I think that the reality is that there's a lot of energy around this on both sides to do the right thing.

Um I think we need to uh continue that energy uh and the momentum that we have and the communication that we have uh moving forward.

I agree the quarterly ad hoc could be a great solution.

I mean, I've even been reached out to recently by Lucas County uh uh disability uh uh organization who said that Republic used to meet with us and now they don't meet with us.

So you know it's like little things like we could probably bring all of these people to the table and really work together.

So I I'm looking forward to that.

I do anticipate that we will vote on the contract and the um the refuse uh rate on Tuesday.

Um so I just want to just put that on the record.

Um I wanna call on these last names, but I would love for you to show the last slide before we uh before I do that, and we will adjourn at four for whoever's talking.

John, quickly recap.

Sure.

So um as you can see on the slide, the municipal solid waste fee is the dedicated funding source for curbside collection, recycling, and operation of the Hoffman Road landfill.

The fee was last increased in 2016 and has not kept pace with the current labor fuel equipment and disposals costs that we have um seen to address a nearly decade um without adjustment and avoid even steeper increases.

The proposed uh legislation that council has currently in committee are uh increases are six fifty to ten fifty for homestead exempted households this year, eleven twenty-five in twenty twenty-seven, and twelve dollars in twenty twenty-eight.

We'll then see eleven fifty to eighteen fifty for non-homested homestead households this year, twenty dollars in 2027 and 2150 in 2028.

Um the proposed fee structure keeps Toledo within the range of comparable cities and with planned increases, the city will gradually close that gap to get close to our balance of where we're seeing those revenues versus expenditures by the year 2028.

Uh just to give council members an idea of some other municipalities and the fees that they have.

Um Lima is currently charging residents 2486 per month.

Um Detroit is currently at 2167 per month.

Fort Wayne is 20.32 cents per month.

Uh and then we have other communities like Troy and Akron who are around that $18.50 or $20 per month.

So we looked at some other cities that are uh somewhat comparable, of course, cities around the city of Toledo to see where our um proposed fee would be.

Thank you so much.

Councilmember Gash, you're gonna give the last comment.

Sorry.

Thanks.

I appreciate you making time.

I just want to um uh push a little bit more on the service level agreement um for number eight for the uh community block watches and schools, and I really appreciate you coming to the block watches, it makes a difference, but unfortunately it's the same um group of families.

So I really want to push you to think about festivals, block parties, sporting events, and even our park activation activities because you're gonna get a different clientele of people that come to those places, whether it's just a table set up, so as they're coming by, they you have an opportunity to educate them, but it's gonna be a very different from our Black Watch group.

So uh if you could think outside of the box with that.

Just I think it was this week or late last week.

We shared a big list of public events.

There were opportunities for them to participate with the community and share information.

We also reached out to city council um Lucy Frank, helped me with a list of town halls that you folks are hosting so that uh they knew about them.

Um particularly in in districts three and six where we're struggling a little bit with bulk collection.

Sometimes it's not uh it's that it's not being set out right.

It's the cars are blocking it, they can't get to it, or there's construction.

Um, so we we actually got together and um had a little working session to figure out what challenges are they facing um with their bulk collection and how can we work together to resolve those issues.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you, Chair.

Yeah, absolutely.

Councilmember Meldon, I asked the chair of the next committee if we can have one minute.

So you have one minute.

Well, hey, um the irony was I was actually just gonna give kudos to you and Councilmember Gaddis on your uh trash talking about.

Yeah, talking minutes.

It's funny.

No, I just want to say, like I, you know, I had probably more questions and more bloviating up here than most anyone else, but I just want to just give recognition to a lot of my colleagues who have been in this conversation a lot more deeply than I have.

I at every single turn said, yeah, it's a big deal, yeah, it's the number one amount of complaints I get, and I don't have landlord set outs as much in district five, and there's still issues.

So there's a this is multifaceted.

So I want to give a lot of credit to my colleagues here, and then also say, you know, to the workers that do a job that's harder than I even know or could imagine, and to a company like Republic who's trying to manage how to take care of 94,000 households every single day and every single week.

It's complex.

But I don't know.

Like we signed up for it.

No one made you go work at Republic, no one made me run for council, no one made you say you wanted to be the chief of operations for the city of Toledo.

We all said we're gonna do it.

And so that's that's the spirit I bring to this conversation to figure out like how do we make this as best as we possibly can.

Because the bottom line is I re you know, we all district folks, right, represent 45,000 residents.

And they're going to work thinking about something else.

They're not thinking about I wonder what would be the best way to communicate with people about trash.

Like they're just not thinking about that, and we are.

So I'm glad that we're doing it together, and I'm sure we'll find the right the right way forward.

That's all I wanted to say.

Thanks.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

And thank you to those who attended today.

Thanks to all the public comment that we had.

Uh thank you to the teamsters for your involvement.

Thanks to Republic and the administration for the time.

Uh, this meeting is adjourned.