Having been in the solid waste and recycling industry for over 17 yeras, I know that the best thing for a community is to have one service provider for curbside solid waste and recycling pick-up. While residents are correct that they lose the opportunity to choose a provider, the benefits far outweigh the loss of choice.
1. Lower cost per household. Having one provider gives that company economies of scale not available when 4 companies each service a fraction of the total number of households.
2. Improved environment. Having trucks from 4 companies driving streets, rather than one, increases the amount of carbon pollution in the air. In addition, when the service providers have only a fraction of the available households, they can't afford to invest in new, efficient trucks that burn fuels more effectively.
3. Safety. Solid waste trucks are large and dangerous. Today in St. Louis a paper recycling truck turned over and crushed a car killing the mother of seven children. Fewer trucks on the street = fewer accidents.

The municipal staff in PTC that are evaluating whether the City should franchise the solid waste and recycling services are doing the right thing and spending my tax money wisely.

It amazes me how those in decision making positions seem to complicate each and every issue that comes along. Yesterday it was big boxes, today trash pick up.
Currently, Peachtree city is served by no less than four firms who in reality are competing against one another. We know that one of the companies receives the brunt of the complaints while the other three appear to be serving their customers (us) well.
A couple years ago the Council attempted to monopolize this service with one provider and it was voted down. Limiting the residents of Peachtree City to only one provider eliminates competition and opens the door to cost increases, waning service, and ultimately more complaints.
If one provider is not meeting our standards, make a change to one of the other three or perhaps another trash company altogether.
This idea of going to only one provider is a bad idea--It was two years ago and it is now.
Mike King Candidate for City Council Post 2

Back in Jan 2006, our esteemed PTC government cited "80 complaints" (80 is coincidentally the capacity of the Y-Knot bar on Friday night...go figure) as justification for floating a trial balloon to give one trash hauling company exclusive rights to pick up trash in Peachtree City.

Back then, they actually told the truth: a single-source trash pickup would cost everybody more than they are paying now, allowed for unilateral increases due to "higher fuel charges", and guaranteed an additional rate increase after six months.

Not surprisingly, it was voted down.

But Mayor Logsdon is nothing if not persistent. Last week he and the council unveiled the "survey results" of yet another "80 citizens" (there's that number 80 again!). Of the four companies that haul trash in PTC, 3 out of 4 people are very happy (50% rate their service "good" or "excellent") and one company (Allied) garners the overwhelming majority of service complaints.

Rather than take this single company to task, or simply allow the magic of the marketplace to weed out this straggler, Mayor Logsdon and his boys once again react with overkill and propose a monopoly service yet again.

This time, however, we are assured in generic, fact-free soothing tones, that a garbage pickup monopoly will somehow be "cheaper" and "better" for the citizens of Peachtree City.

Color me skeptical.

I would prefer a few more specifics presented by the Mayor and his council. This proposal, as it currently stands, stinks to high heaven.