Seer guesses twice-weekly trash pickup will get swept into history’s dustbin

There was an odd rush to judgment Tuesday.

I foretold the Clark County Commission would approve Republic Services' request to amend its contract and change the trash hauling and recycling systems and encourage more recycling.

By a 4-2 vote, they did.

However, they added some caveats, giving them wiggle room for an about-face to return to the twice-a-week trash pickup so near and dear to the hearts of many Las Vegans.

One impassioned speaker said, "What's great about this city is the twice a week service."

In what seems somewhat inconsistent, four commissioners voted in favor of the change but then told Republic Services not to proceed to implement it until after three things occur.

First, there must be an audit. That is to resolve conflicting numbers and calculate Republic Services' savings under the new system.

Second, there must be another survey of customers already using the plan in North Las Vegas, Henderson and Las Vegas. That is to provide cover if the majority are OK with it and convince doubters it's not so bad.

Third, there must be an economic analysis of what would happen if unincorporated Clark County returned to twice-a-week trash pickup. That's to let people know how much more they could be paying.

Frankly, I would want the answers before giving the go-ahead, but I don't get to vote.

Bottom line: If people insist on twice-a-week trash service as well as weekly recycle service, they probably would see their rates increase. It's clear, county officials are hoping that when the plan is launched in unincorporated Clark County starting late this year and completed by 2017, people will have adapted to the changes.

Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Lawrence Weekly voted against Commissioner Larry Brown's motion. Collins left before the vote was taken and declined Wednesday to say how he would have voted.

To pass the change, Brown was joined by Steve Sisolak, Susan Brager and Mary Beth Scow.

One of the most vehement opponents to the change is Las Vegas attorney Todd Bice, who has represented former Republic Services executive Steve Kalish.

Bice annoyed commissioners by suggesting there might have been an open meeting law violation because Sisolak had said the votes were there to approve amending the contract.

Sisolak said he made those comments based on public statements made by other commissioners, not via any open meeting violation.

I reached my conclusion using pretty much the same method, so the open meeting violation angle didn't seem to have much backing it.

I suspect if offered twice-a-week trash pickup at a higher cost, residents will go with this new program and make the best of it.

How much will Republic save by eliminating twice-a-week trash and adding weekly recycling? Does the estimated $150 million cost of implementation for carts and new automated trucks deduct the costs of trucks Republic would be buying anyway? How much will Republic save under the new system?

The audit should answer those questions.

No way is Republic Services going to lower rates.

Just be grateful you don't live in Portland, Ore., where residential trash and recycling costs $48 a month, compared with the nearly $14 a month in Las Vegas.

In Phoenix, you would be paying double the Las Vegas rate.

The Seer predicts that twice-a-week trash pickup will become merely another memory of old Las Vegas after 2017. She cannot tell how much recycling will increase. She's not that talented.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Email her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call her at 702-383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/Morrison