City Council Meeting Date: August 19, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: David Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Discuss Services Related to Expiring Residential Waste Hauling Contract with DSI and Upcoming Proposal Request.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council Discusses Services Related to Expiring Residential Waste Hauling Contract with DSI and Upcoming Proposal Request.
Summary Report:
The City has Single Hauler residential Waste/Recycling hauling contract with Dicks Sanitation Inc. (DSI). The contract has been in place for the last 12 years, and the contract expires at the end of 2025.
The current contract provides for weekly garbage service and bi-weekly recycling services. In addition, in the last extension of DSI’s contract, yard waste collection was added as a voluntary sign-up service to residents.
Cart Size offerings are shown below.
Yard Waste
Yard Waste is collected seasonally from mid-April to November each year. Yard waste carts are 96 gallons, and residents can also leave up to 10 additional bags weekly.
Christmas Tree Pickup service is offered on the first two Mondays in January.
Organics
The City has an option within the current contract to roll out city wide organics, based on community survey that was conducted, costs, and feedback received, the City hasn’t exercised this option in the contract. However, Northfield Curbside Compost operates a weekly 5-gallon container organics service.
In the city’s upcoming proposal, the City can continue as is with an excise option clause to roll out citywide organic and leave Northfield Curbside Compost as an option for residents.
2045 Comprehensive Plan
Below are guiding values, outcomes and actions related to Solid Waste in the Comprehensive Plan.
Staff discussed the waste hauling contract with the Environmental Quality Commission on July 16 to receive their input. General feedback from the commission is they like the service offerings that are provided to residents. They are generally in favor of the current keeping the organics clause in the contract that would allow the City to rollout a citywide organics program. However, at this time the Commission is supportive of the voluntary sign-up service provided by Northfield Curbside Compost. Another item that was brought up is at our City-Wide Spring Cleanup event, which is held two Saturdays in May, if there could be some other vendors there for more recycling options to help divert some of the waste from the landfill.
Staff is looking for feedback from City Council or input on these services or potential changes to services.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
RFP will establish prices
Tentative Timelines:
Issue RFP September 2025