The Destin City Council accepted a contract at last night’s council meeting from the city’s current solid waste provider, Waste Management, for a five-year franchise agreement beginning Oct. 1, 2017. Three bids were recently received to provide solid waste services in the city.
With the renewal of the franchise agreement with Waste Management, Destin residents will see several changes including lower rates. Some of the terms of the contract follow:
Residential Service
- Rate of $19.98 per month (billed quarterly) – previous rate of $21.60 per month.
- Replacing 18 gallon recycling bins with 96 gallon recycling carts – keeping weekly pickup.
- Keeping 96 gallon garbage cart and twice-per-week pickup.
- Adding route-based, weekly bulk pickup – previously picked up by call-in only.
- Keeping route-based, weekly yard waste pickup – no longer requiring yard waste to be bundled.
- Keeping senior discount – new rate of $16.33 per month – previous rate of $16.98 per month.
- Expanding senior discount to all seniors in city limits (65 years of age and older) – previously only for homesteaded seniors (seniors must apply for this discount – application period will be announced in the coming weeks).
- Seniors agree to once-per-week garbage pickup and once-per-week recycling pickup.
Commercial Service
- Most commercial rates have decreased under the new contract. There are a couple of instances of slight rate increases.
The new rates will begin Oct. 1, 2017, and information regarding changes will be provided directly to customers in their September bill. If anyone has questions regarding garbage service, please call the city’s Public Services Department at 837-4242.