Next week, the Shawnee City Council will consider a significant rate hike for trash hauler permits in the city.
City leaders in a committee meeting on Oct. 28 directed city staff to look into revising the Shawnee’s policy to increase annual permits for trash haulers from $25 to $1,000.
“After comparing (our rates) to other cities, plus considering the cost to fund our Tidy Town program, it was apparent an increase was needed,” Colin Duffy, deputy city manager, said in an email to the Johnson County Post.
The rate hike was part of the committee’s discussion of proposed changes to various city policy statements. It is included in the PS-56 Comprehensive User Fee Schedule.
This is the first rate hike for trash haulers
The policy statement that includes trash hauler permit fees was first approved by the Shawnee City Council in December 2007.
Since the city first began issuing permits, the rate has remained at $25, which Duffy described as out of date.
The new rate would bring it in line with other Johnson County municipalities.
The money will be used to offset Tidy Town costs
The money generated from trash hauler permits is used to pay for the Tidy Town program, which provides residents with an annual voucher that grants them one free car or truckload drop-off at the Johnson County landfill.
In 2025, the program will cost about $10,000, with vouchers being available in the February 2025 issue of the All Things Hometown newsletter.
In years past, Duffy said the low fees meant the city would have to cover some of the costs of the program. The fee hike will cover a majority of it.
“The City’s general fund was responsible for covering the cost of the Tidy Town program — which includes printing and mailing the vouchers to every home in Shawnee,” he wrote. “This will shift much of that burden from our residents onto the trash haulers.”
The city currently has six licensed trash haulers
Cities have a choice between contracting with only one trash hauling service or allowing all to operate in the city, Duffy said. The city prefers the latter to allow for a competitive, free market, he added.
In 2024, the city issued permits for trash haulers to: Constable Sanitation, GFL Environmental, KC Disposal, Republic (A-1/Superior), Waste Management and Earth First Waste Solutions.
While Shawnee has fewer trash hauling services than Lenexa or Overland Park, their presence in neighborhoods has been noticeable, several council members noted.
The city council has mixed feelings about trash haulers
It’s usual for multiple trash haulers to appear in her cul-de-sac during the day, Councilmember Jeannie Murphy said.
“I live on a cul-de-sac of six houses, and we have a minimum of six trash trucks on our cul-de-sac every week,” Councilmember Jeannie Murphy said. “I would be in favor of looking at it at least see how much of a hornet’s nest it is.”
While Councilmember Tony Gillette expressed he didn’t want to see the city reduce trash hauler services down to one company, he would like to see less trucks on the road.
“There’s six different trucks. If you drive around in Shawnee the middle afternoon on a Wednesday afternoon, you may pass four or five different trash haulers in one subdivision area or two neighboring subdivisions, and it can be a bit cumbersome,” Gillette said.
He later added: “If we can reduce them down and get them to lower some costs, that’s an avenue we should pursue.”
Councilmember Mike Kemmling said he still wants multiple trash haulers on the streets.
“I like the free market. I like competition,” he said. “I’ve had it where I called one company, they couldn’t give me the trash can that day, so I just called the other one. So I’m good with where we’re at.”
There are worries about passing the fees on
During the meeting, Councilmember Kurt Knappen expressed worries that the rate hike would cause trash haulers to pass that on to their customers.
That should not happen, Duffy said, as trash haulers are paying those rates currently in other cities.
“It is possible that a smaller trash hauler business may not choose to operate in Shawnee because of the fee increase. But I would be surprised if that happened,” Duffy said. “I believe all of our trash haulers operate in surrounding cities at their higher permit fees.”
What’s next
The city council will consider revising the city’s policy statement to include the rate hikes at its Nov. 12 meeting.
