Peachtree City officials will seek proposals from a number of trash haulers for a city-wide trash franchise.

Should such a franchise be enacted, all residents would have to subscribe to the same trash provider, a big change from the current free market system. Everyone would also be charged a fee on the same bill for recycling.

“Our feeling is you would be likely to start recycling if you’re paying for it already,” City Manager Bernie McMullen told council at a workshop meeting Tuesday night.

The city is not proposing any enforcement on people who don’t recycle, McMullen said.

Other potential benefits to a franchise include lowering the number of trash trucks in circulation which not also would reduce wear and tear on city streets but also spills of fluid from the trucks. Councilman Steve Boone cautioned council not to select the lowest bid, because that company might use older trucks that cause problems.

Instead the city should look for the “optimum service,” Boone said.

There was some disagreement among council members as to the potential benefits and pitfalls of using a singular trash hauling service. But all agreed to proceed with getting proposals from the companies so they can be evaluated for merit.

The city would not be required to choose any of the RFPs, as it can reject them all if it sees fit.

If there’s a big benefit to implementing a trash franchise in terms of money savings and other areas, the city must promote those to the citizens, who might otherwise be upset about being forced to use one trash provider, Boone said.

Going to a franchise system would not work if residents are allowed to opt out and choose another company, because in essence the city would be using the same current free market system, McMullen said. But Councilman Don Haddix suggested some allowance be made for residents who share garbage cans with others.

The RFP includes a way for senior citizens to provide medical documentation to qualify for their cans to be picked up at their home so they don’t have to roll them to the curb, officials said.

As one city staffer pointed out Tuesday night, if there are any problems with trash service under a franchise system, it’s easy to figure out who’s responsible. The proposal would also include a cash bond the provider must post, from which the city can levy fines for substantiated complaints.

The RFP also includes the pickup of yard debris for free once a week, officials said.

Haddix said recycling in his subdivision didn’t take off at all, as just one of 75 residents began to recycle when the service was offered.

“We do have a demographic in this city where people do not understand this and will never understand this,” Haddix said.

Haddix was also concerned about residents being forced to make room for two separate cans in their garage when some people have small garages and rules in their subdivision where cans can’t be left outside.

Councilwoman Cyndi Plunkett said the RFP should include a premium service citizens could pay extra for so they could have trash pickup on Saturdays because some residents are away from town Monday through Friday.

“I think when you start to take away people’s choices, you start to get into trouble,” Plunkett said.

McMullen said the city is looking at changing its ordinances so residents are required to maintain trash service, so if their service is cutoff for non-payment, they may be taken to municipal court to be forced to pay their bill.

McMullen also suggested adding a fee to the trash bills to pay for the estimated $1 million for the city to relocate its recycling center and build access roads and security fencing for the property, which would be located behind the city’s police department. He noted the city’s current recycling center will basically be unusable once Rockaway Road is realigned and the cart path system is installed on Ga. Highway 74 south as part of the road widening project.

It’s possible a trash provider would operate the recycling center on the city’s behalf, adding more variety to the types of recycling residents can participate in, McMullen said.

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