TL;DR (generated · confidence: high)

Portland Parks & Recreation proposes reducing contractor garbage pickup frequency at parks sites to save $25,000 annually. The reduction targets wasteful dry run fees charged when drop boxes are empty or mostly empty. Facility supervisors will adjust pickup schedules from 3 times to 2 times per week (or 2 to 1) during slow seasons, consolidate unnecessary boxes, upsize containers where possible, and place some boxes on on-call service. This change builds on adjustments already underway in FY 2024-25.

Key points (each cites a PDF page):

$25,000 reduction in External Materials and Services costs for garbage contractor services (p. 1603)
Reduces frequency of large drop box pickups at Parks & Recreation sites managed by Recology and City of Roses (p. 1603)
Problem addressed: contractors charge 'Dry Run Fees' equivalent to haul fees even when drop boxes are empty or mostly empty (p. 1603)
Facility supervisors will reduce pickup frequency from 3 to 2 times per week or 2 to 1 time per week during slow seasons (p. 1603)
Additional methods to reduce fees: remove unnecessary drop boxes, increase box sizes where possible, place some boxes on on-call service (p. 1603)
Facility supervisors have already started making frequency adjustments in FY 2024-25 to reduce dry run fees (p. 1603)
Status: Recommended; Funding source: General Fund Discretionary (p. 1603)
No equity impact identified (p. 1603)

💰 $25,000 · 📋 Vibrant Communities DCA · 🏛️ Portland Parks & Recreation

23,616

Source: PDF p. 1603 · raw: 1603

Breadcrumb: 7 vs › vc-dps_06-03-2025_16-20 › Package Details › 23,616

23,616 - Decrease Contractor Garbage Pickup Frequency Service Area Vibrant Communities DCA Sonia Schmanski Bureau Name Portland Parks & Recreation Director Adena Long Funding Type Name Reduction Status: Recommended Package Desc Expense Recommended Total This proposal reduces the frequency of large drop box pickups at Parks & Recreation sites. External Materials and Services ($25,000) Recology and City of Roses haul large garbage drop boxes with capacities of 20, 30, and 40 cubic ($25,000) yards. If a garbage truck arrives for a scheduled pickup and the drop box is empty or mostly empty, they won’t haul it but still charge a "Dry Run Fee" equivalent to the haul fee, since the truck could Revenue Recommended Total have serviced another customer. Both haul fees and dry run fees are the same regardless of drop box size. To implement this budget reduction, facility supervisors will need to monitor the fill levels of General Fund Discretionary ($25,000) their drop boxes and adjust service frequency according to seasonal waste generation. ($25,000) Service Impacts Some facility and site supervisors have already started making adjustments to the frequency of trash hauling in the current fiscal year FY 2024-25 to reduce dry run fees. Facility and site supervisors will need to reduce the frequency from three to two per week or two to one per week where applicable during the slow seasons, remove extra drop boxes where they are unnecessary, increase the size of the drop box where possible to reduce frequency of pickup, and place some drop boxes on-call where there appears to be infrequent usage. These methods will reduce the number of haul fees or dry run fees charged by garbage contractors. Equity Impacts No equity impact.

Parent: Package Details · PDF: p. 1603