PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Port St. Lucie leaders will decide which company will become the city's new waste contractor Wednesday night.
The long-awaited decision after months of complaints have continued to pile up due to the lack of pickups by the current contractor, Waste Pro.
Both the city and Waste Pro decided to void the contract earlier this year.
Documents show city staff will make the recommendation to the city council to award the contract to FCC Environmental Services.
If approved at Wednesday night's meeting, the cost for collection will be going up for residents.
The increase will come out to an extra $11.55 per month, or $138 per year.
City records show that from 2008-22, the consumer price index for water, sewer and trash rose about 63%.
That's compared to just a 14.6% increase in rates for Port St. Lucie residents during the same time.
The cost of diesel fuel is also now 60% higher than it was just three years ago.
City leaders said that the new rates will be consistent with current industry standards.
The rate increase does include a new trash cart for the roughly 82,000 homes in the city's jurisdiction.
Residents will receive a 96-gallon cart come August, unless they decide to go with a smaller 64-gallon cart option.
Residents must file that request on the city's website by June 10. No action is needed to request the 96-gallon cart.
City leaders said the 96-gallon cart is three times larger than the average trash can.
Once the new contractor begins service in September, pickup will move to just once per week.
Documents show FCC will provide five automated service days per week on Monday through Friday. Saturdays will be used for any delays.
The staff's recommendation of the council is to award a seven-year contract to FCC and for the contractor to service the entire city, rather than award two contractors to service the east and west sides of the city.
The cost associated with the contract each year will be about $34.5 million.
Wednesday's meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
