McGregor taking steps to restore downtown curbside garbage collection
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
The city of McGregor is taking steps to restore curbside pickup to the lower blocks of Main Street and A Street, months after a change to the city’s solid waste and recycling contract with Waste Management eliminated collection for much of the downtown.
Under the amendment, locations from 112 to 312 Main St. were instructed to bring their trash and recycling to commercial dumpsters at a drop site located behind the post office. All individual totes were removed.
The change came after Waste Management updated its trucks with mechanical arms that grab containers and dump waste into the truck, eliminating the need for drivers to get in and out of the truck to dump toters, or at some locations on Main Street, pick up individual bags of trash. Due to traffic congestion, Waste Management informed the city the arms could not reach the downtown McGregor bins.
Starting Oct. 27, the city began a no-cost trial run for Main Street residents and business owners between the riverfront and Third/B Street, allowing them to place garbage and recycling curbside after 5 p.m. on Sunday and before 7 a.m. on Monday for collection by public works. Garbage was to be placed in a non-clear, tied trash bag and recycling in separate clear bags, the latter of which have been available free of charge at city hall and McGregor Municipal Utilities during the trial run through November.
McGregor officials claimed they’ve been reviewing solutions for months, although mayor Russ Crawmer and city administrator Denise Schneider acknowledged an Americans with Disabilities (ADA) complaint was filed against the city.
“We were already discussing what to do, at least for the winter,” Schneider said at a Nov. 3 special meeting.
According to Crawmer, the city originally considered placing dumpsters on Main Street during cold weather months, making shorter trips for residents and businesses.
“But when we looked at the logistics of pulling that over to Main Street and having dumpsters sitting on Main Street, our public works lead said, ‘I can just come through and pick it up by the time you go through all that trouble.’ That’s where the idea came from to switch and look at doing curbside like we had in the past,” Crawmer explained.
Questioned why the idea wasn’t enacted sooner, Crawmer added there was concern garbage sitting at the curb in the summertime would smell.
Downtown resident Camille Sweet said McGregor would be no different from other communities on garbage day.
“Every community has a garbage day. Nobody is going to be so turned off at McGregor having a garbage day,” she stated.
Sweet was one of several people at the meeting advocating for curbside pickup.
“We have disabled and elderly people downtown who definitely need it,” she said.
“And once the downward slope to the dumpster gets icy and slick, it’s going to be dangerous for everyone,” added LP Wild.
Another downtown resident called the garbage issue “a circus of problems.” Although garbage is currently dumped twice per week and recycling once, he said dumpsters are often overflowing. The addition of more downtown businesses the past year contributes because “they have nowhere to go. That presents a problem.”
City officials hope restoring curbside pickup for those who are interested will help relieve some of the volume. Public works employee Eric Grady said garbage collected from the curb has so far been disposed of at the city shop and not in the downtown dumpsters.
Even if curbside service is restored, Crawmer proposed that dumpsters remain behind the post office. Some residents and businesses have gotten used to disposing of garbage there and prefer not to—or don’t have a way to—store trash and recycling during the week.
“They’re relying on being able to dump that throughout the week,” Crawmer said. “My thought is keep that available as well as curbside for folks who need curbside.”
No official action was taken last week, but the council agreed to consider an ordinance regarding curbside collection at its Nov. 19 regular meeting. In the meantime, some questions still remain.
Council member Janet Hallberg wondered if people would have to sign up for the service, as well as how it would be tracked.
Cost is another factor. Those who have had to haul their garbage receive what the city called a “drop site rate” for $15.50 per month, a decrease from the $19 for curbside pickup.
If the $19 cost is restored, “Is that going to the public works guys, or am I now paying more to Waste Management, who’s not doing anything?” asked Wild.
Schneider said it will cover the cost of public works staff because some of their wages go to solid waste. It’s unclear yet if clear recycling bags will continue to be provided.
“I know there are thoughts of are we going to charge extra for it or just provide it and finish out the contract [with Waste Management],” which is up the end of 2027, Schneider added.
Street cleanliness is another concern.
“I’ll be honest, the streets are really clean. When the garbage was on the street, they weren’t,” said Dan Summerhays. “But the streets are really clean, and it’d be nice to keep them that way.”
Hallberg wondered whose responsibility it would be if critters chewed through bags or weather dispersed bag contents.
“[The resident] needs to take ownership of it if something gets into it. Otherwise you’re putting a lot of extra work on the guys if they have to chase garbage,” she said.
Schneider hopes the small window at the curb will limit issues.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Crawmer noted, “It sounds like we’re on a good path. It will be important for you guys to be here at the next meeting.”
