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My full bins await pickup along with others on my street, a day after our normal pickup. Like everyone else, I have no idea whether I should bring them back up my driveway. Since the green and blue bins normally gets picked up only every other week, I don’t want to miss the day the trucks finally come again. They gray one is getting ripe from food waste rotting in 80-90 degree temperatures.
The new look for our neighborhood streets, as residents await information about what to do
With an unexpected garbage strike hitting our city on the hottest days of the year, residents have been left guessing whether we are supposed to leave our bins by the street or bring them back to our homes.
A nationwide teamsters strike against Republic Services has left garbage piling up in Renton and other Seattle suburbs. Residents are looking for instructions on how to proceed from both Republic Services Management and the City of Renton (who oversees the Republic Services contract), but clear direction is lacking.
The Renton website hyperlinks to Republic’s website, which contains one typo-laden message which is unclear. And we are receiving none of the typical phone messages from Republic Services that we normally get when service is interupted.
The City of Renton’s website simply links readers to Republic Services for information. On social media the City has said that residents can take our garbage to Thomas Teasdale Park, but this is not possible for most people, and the messages don’t make clear whether this includes recycling and yard waste. A single drop queue could never reasonably accommodate a whole city anyway.
Republic Service’s website only contains this Service Alert with regard to the work stoppage. This alert has at least two typos, one of which confuses the message: “Republic Services will collect garbage, recycling, and compostables as soon as circumstances permit and double organic the amount of garbage on your next regularly scheduled service day.” Don’t you think Renton residents deserves at least one minute of proofreading?
The fine print of Republic’s Contract allows them to bill customers a “Service Interruption Charge” of $50 if customers actions cause a service interruption. Will Republic Services give each of us an additional $50, along with a refund for days missed?
The City of Renton conducted a survey in April about our waste collection, but it is now closed.
It’s time to reopen this survey
In conclusion, when there is a work stoppage that affects any services offered by our city, residents should receive clear communication regarding the mitigation measures they should take.
Love how how we get half the service that other cities get for the same price. Bet someone’s laughing all the way to the bank with our money!
What are you talking about?
Renton gets pickup every other week while other cities get weekly pickup. For the same price.
Gotta hope someone’s getting a juicy kickback for this genius deal. Otherwise, it’s just pathetic negotiating. What’s the point of screwing us over for free
I’ve recently read an online post by a Renton resident about the traffic jams forming on Talbot and Benson resulting from the selection of Thomas Teasdale Park as the city’s single garbage pick-up spot. I’m not sure why they are not using multiple locations in areas designed for more traffic, like Renton Stadium for instance. Kent has chosen Showare Center, which is a good choice for heavy traffic volumes. Talbot is a key road for accessing Valley Hospital and many other medical facilities. Here is a Google Map image showing the current traffic backups (in red and orange).
Let’s be honest, 99% of the country if not higher is weekly garbage and recycling pickup. What are we thinking, or were we, being perhaps the first City to switch to bi weekly. Didn’t ask, barely told. What kind of a bold pompous I don’t give an eff because I don’t actually live in the City of Renton move is that? Many of the city staff don’t actually live here. The switch lined cedar grove’s pockets. We’re close to them. Something stinks. Bring back weekly pickup.
Some people on Renton’s facebook page said the garbage drop-off at Teasdale Park was supposed to be open until 3:00, but they waited in lengthy traffic jams and get there before 2:00 and got turned away. This was after bagging hot stinky garbage from their bins and smelling up their cars.
There are two trends every Renton resident can observe over the past 2+ years.
1) Inability to administer city functions.
2) Incompetent communication
Randy has wonderfully cataloged many, but another failure to manage and communicate with literally potential disasterous consequences was the chlorine leak.
Our city administration stinks like old garbage
People are now getting bills from Republic. Guess what? No credit for missed service/s. Of course not!