Sterling Heights city officials have asked administrators to come up with plans to replace their current trash hauler as a response to persistent complaints from residents.

City Council members earlier this week told City Manager Mark Vanderpool to meet with the Department of Public Works, finance officials, and assistant city managers to brainstorm on what paths to take in the case the city eventually decides to dump its contract with Priority Waste.

“Let’s explore different actions and programs that we may pursue in regard to having our own DPW collection,” said Councilmember Diana Koski. “And then report to see what — if any — we may wish to take.”

Like many of the company’s municipal customers, Sterling Heights has been inundated with complaints about Priority Waste’s trash and recycling services. The company has insisted service is improving, but many city and township leaders don’t agree.

Koski suggested administrators talk to leaders in neighboring Warren, which has its own sanitation department, to gauge the cost of starting and operating a refuse disposal service in Sterling Heights.

Mayor Michael Taylor said the city already is taking punitive measure such as fining the company in accordance with its 10-year contract with Priority Waste. He suggested officials consider possible partnerships with other communities to tackle the problem.

Priority Waste has been facing a barrage of complaints from numerous communities over missed pickups and other service issues for the past year. Residents have reported delays in trash and recycling collection, scattered trash, and difficulty reaching the company.

Priority Waste has taken over residential accounts from GFL Environmental on July 1, 2024. The company now handles trash services for about 700,000 residents in dozens of communities in Genesee, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties.

Mayor lacks confidence in Priority Waste

The purchase makes Priority Waste the largest residential garbage collecting company in southeast Michigan.

Sterling Heights was one of Macomb County’s first communities to sign up with the firm, the mayor said. But in the past two years, as Priority Waste’s customer base grew, apparently so did its problems, he added.

“We didn’t anticipate they would acquire all of GFL’s routes,” Taylor said. “Now they are struggling to keep up with demand. I don’t have confidence that Priority Waste can live up to the terms of their contract.”

Priority Waste officials were not invited to Tuesday’s City Council meeting, but have said recent delays in many communities were caused mainly by severe weather issues including a tornado in neighboring Fraser and excessive heat indexes of 105 degrees, followed by the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Labor shortages and delays in new truck deliveries have also contributed to the problems, company representatives have added.

The company is supposed to be notified in the morning of missed pickups and has until noon the following day to service those residents. Company officials have said they are in compliance with the thrust of the contract.

When the county’s second largest city was considering a contract with a disposal firm in 2023, Priority’s bid came in $23 million lower than the next bid Sterling Heights received.

Much of their selling point centers on technology advancements, including cameras affixed to garbage trucks to provide real-time video of any difficulties encountered.

“But technology doesn’t pick up the trash — trucks and people do,” said Council member Henry Yanez.

Vanderpool said Sterling Heights is in daily contact with the troubled hauler, which has been responsive.

But on Tuesday night, Priority Waste reported missing 3% of its stops that day.

“We want them to get to the point where they are on time 100% of the time, not 97% of the time,” Vanderpool said.

The city manager said Priority Waste has informed him that 50 new trucks have been ordered. Fifteen of those vehicles will be assigned solely to Sterling Heights, he added.

Vanderpool said City Attorney Marc Kaszubski may be asked to submit a legal opinion over what constitutes a default on the contract, which could lead to Sterling Heights cancelling their agreement with Priority Waste.

It will probably take about two months for the administration to come up with a final report for the council to consider, he said.