Council presses administration on garbage truck leases and orders analysis as RDK month-to-month contract nears renewal

Council members spent a substantial portion of the June 11 meeting pressing the administration for clearer information about the city’s solid-waste fleet and lease arrangements as a month-to-month contract with RDK approaches expiration.

Council members reported that the city purchased trucks in 2022 and later entered a month-to-month lease with RDK after a truck was destroyed. Experts who briefed the council said the current lease lacks a strong maintenance schedule and that the financial terms of trade-ins can be costly if trucks are returned in a worse condition than when leased. The report recommended first cataloging which trucks are running, identifying outstanding balances, and obtaining shop evaluations for repair versus replacement. A council handout cited a new garbage truck cost of about $500,000 and suggested that repairs under roughly $60,000 are typically cost-effective compared with replacement.

Council members described a Pritchard truck at Sansome (on the vendor’s lot for more than a year) that appeared serviceable; the vendor’s repair estimate was $5,400 and a $1,541 balance remained unpaid. The council said an evaluation for each truck could be conducted for roughly $600 per vehicle. Members urged daily maintenance practices (for example, daily greasing of lift arms) and recommended that repair and maintenance records be tracked in a software system such as RTA.

Because the RDK month-to-month arrangement is due to end around June 15, council members reiterated a prior request for a 90-day emergency contract to allow immediate assessment and temporary continuity while staff issues RFPs for both leasing and outsourcing options. The legal adviser noted that even under emergency procurement, the law typically requires three quotes for work and that the city must document reasons for any accelerated process.

Council asked the administration and public works to gather the requested truck inventories, repair estimates and lease balances and to return with an evaluation and suggested procurement approach at or before the next milestone date. The council also instructed staff to pursue competitive responses so the city can decide whether to repair-owned equipment, lease with maintenance protections, or outsource collection.