ATHENS, Ohio — An ordinance to renew the Cty of Athens’ contract with Rumpke for two more years progressed in city council this week.
The council held first reading of Ordinance 107-26 Monday night, which would extend the city’s refuse contract with Rumpke for up to $2.6 million per year. The contract expires June 30, 2027; it would renew into 2029.
City administration, led by Mayor Steve Patterson and city Services-Safety Director Andy Stone, favor extending Rumpke’s contract by two years because there would be no cost increases to customers, they first informed the council Oct. 26.
The city administration argues extending the contract is a good move for the city, given continuous economic inflation.
However, council member Beth Clodfelter, At Large, said Monday she spoke earlier that day with Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District Director Jane Forrest Redfern.
Forrest Redfern said that the district, which absorbed the former Athens-Hocking Recycling Center, “can submit a government-to-government contract, rather than a bid,” Clodfelter said.
Clodfelter said Forrest Redfern would talk to members of the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District board to determine if they wish to consider pursuing a government-to-government waste and recycling contract with the city, and would hear back within two weeks.
City Auditor Josh Thomas, however, said Rumpke’s offer to keep current rates in place won’t stand forever. He said the ordinance should be acted upon by third reading in four weeks.
Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers was the city’s trash pickup and recycling/compost service provider prior to 2024. Rumpke outbid the recycling center by about $300,000, so the city switched to contracting with Rumpke.
After that, Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers laid off employees and was subsequently absorbed by a new council of governments, the Southeast Ohio Recycling Terminal. The council of governments later merged with the solid waste district.
Patterson said the city extended a contract with Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers as well, when it was the city’s waste hauler and recycling services provider. That extension, however, “came with a $1.5 million price tag and a rate increase,” he said.
Wood said he was interested in determining if the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District can be competitive, or “price shopping,” before extending the Rumpke contract without any other offers.
Alan Swank, 4th Ward, said an issue that had been raised Oct. 26 concerned local jobs. He said he spoke Monday with Rumpke’s new regional manager, who told him that Rumpke has 119 employees in Athens County and the counties that surround it.
“It kind of sounds to me like they are providing local jobs,” Swank said.
“One doesn’t cancel a contract when the services rendered by that organization are working,” he added.
However, Michael Wood, 3rd Ward, said he wanted to hear from Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District because “having no bids on a contract is not good.”
While Swank said he hasn’t heard any negative feedback on Rumpke, Wood countered that there are few things he has heard about “that are more politically unpopular than the Rumpke contract,” which predates his membership on council.
Wood added he has received emails on Rumpke’s composting service and contents “not being picked up.”
Paul Isherwood, At Large, said the city should “strongly, strongly consider” extending the waste hauling and recycling contract that keeps customer costs the same, especially given that the city will raise its sewer rates by 4% next year.
Audience member Tom Hanlon of Athens compared Rumpke to Walmart, saying that Walmart employing local residents does not make Walmart a local company.
“If you take a look at Rumpke, their area of service is at least five states, not five counties,” Hanlon said. He added, “It’s the nature of monopolists to come in with low prices until they destroy all the competition, and when all the competition’s gone they raise their rates because you will have no other choice.”
Joe Radwany, of Albany, said the council in the past has “passed the buck to administration,” with Stone opting to take the lowest bid offered by Rumpke.
“But sometimes the lowest bid isn’t always the most sustainable solution,” Radwany said.
Council members Jessica Thomas, At Large, Megan Almeida, 1st Ward, and John Staser, 2nd Ward, did not comment on the topic Monday.
Council continues to discuss street closure event fees
Once again, the topic of charging $300 for a one-block residential neighborhood gathering faced criticism. The council ultimately voted 6-1 to approve an amendment proposed by Clodfelter that would reduce the fee to $150, sending the ordinance back to first reading.
An email to the council from local events organizer Brandon Thompson suggested the city might want to offer lesser rates for first-time events so they can be sustainable moving forward. The city currently schedules about a dozen events Uptown requiring street closures, most of them from the summer onward into the year.
Rob Delach, a founder of Athens Porchfest, said the city needs to determine what constitutes “a good event,” with that not yet set in writing. Delach added, “I think any fee is going to be a barrier to a block party.”
Swank said Thompson also mentioned the possibility of creating a working group that meets four times per year to discuss special event-related street closures, and make recommendations.
However, Patterson said creating yet another ad hoc group to study the topic creates an additional layer of input that is not necessary.
Deputy Service-Safety Director Andrew Chiki previously told the council that the city only seeks to recoup about one-third of its costs for closing blocks for events. City staff spend time placing barriers and bags over parking meters.
Jessica Thomas, At Large, said each special event requires some employees to receive four hours of overtime setting up special events, and another four hours of overtime to take them down when it ends.
Other business
The council adopted Ordinance 91-26 upon its third reading Monday. The ordinance would further define an allocation of expenditures for the Arts, Parks and Recreation levy.
Currently, 60% of the levy revenue goes into APR Debt Fund 450, with the remaining 40% sent to APR Income Tax Fund 273. Fund 273 is used for expenses related to construction of the city swimming pool, accessibility to all trails and playgrounds, equipment, property acquisition and staffing.
The new allocation would transfer any funds in Debt Fund 450 over $1 million into Tax Fund 273 for the same purposes.
In other matters, the council passed Resolution R-08-26, defining the work of the one-year Ad Hoc Rental Code Inspection Processes Subcommittee, and extending the timeline for its final report from December until February 2027.
The council also, after some number reordering, adopted one-reading Resolution R-09-26, “Condemning the Exploitation of Child Sexual Abuse for Political Gain and Reaffirming Athens’ Commitment to Civility, Equity, Human Dignity, and Responsible Public Discourse.”
Its content relates to a gubernatorial attack ad launched Oct. 19 by the Vivek Ramaswamy campaign against Democratic candidate Amy Acton.
Athens City Council’s next meeting will be held 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, at Athens City Hall, Council Chambers, third floor, 8 E. Washington St. Meetings are also streamed online.
Regular sessions are on the first and third Mondays of the month; committee meetings are on the second and fourth Mondays.
