Oakidge approves amended Waste Connections contract; council asks company to address early‑morning noise

Oakidge — The Oakidge City Council voted 6–1 to approve an amendment to the city's contract with Waste Connections of Tennessee, extending service provisions, changing the household-count frequency from annual to semiannual, and adding a glass-recycling container at the city's convenience center.

City staff described the key changes as operational and billing adjustments prompted by rapid household growth in Oakidge and by resident requests for glass recycling. "That 195 is fully for that sidewalk project," staff said earlier when explaining block-grant items; for the Waste Connections item, staff explained that residential counts rose sharply in recent years and that semiannual counts will better align charges to the city's customer base. The presenter said Waste Connections will place a glass container at the convenience center on Oakidge Turnpike and haul material to Blunt County for recycling.

The contract discussion also included longstanding resident complaints about early‑morning noise near the company's convenience/dump station and roll-offs. Staff said the company acknowledged the concerns and that regional managers indicated some roll-off preparation work is best done in the afternoon to avoid early‑morning backing noise. The resolution as approved directs the city manager to "enter into discussions with Waste Connections to address recent noise complaints and amend the contract as appropriate to alleviate the noise complaints."

Council member Hope cast the lone no vote, saying he opposed the long-term commitment to a single company: "I'm going to continue to vote no against this contract and contract extension," he said. Other council members praised the addition of glass recycling and asked staff to arrange a focused work session with company representatives to explore mitigation measures.

Vote and next steps: The resolution passed six yes, one no (Council member Hope). Staff said they will invite Waste Connections regional management to a future work session and direct the city manager to pursue contract amendments and operational changes to address noise concerns.