Mayor Sloan Stewart announced to the Metro Council at October’s meeting that the county’s garbage service will be changing in December. The Solid Waste Board has decided to begin using Richardson Waste Removal out of Fayetteville for the bulk of garbage service in the county.

The decision is based on the rising costs of equipment, fuel, vehicle maintenance, and landfill fees. Moore County collects 300 tons of solid waste a month, including household garbage, tires, brush and debris. Due to the heavy loads the trucks carry and the constant compacting, the truck beds and frames wear out much more quickly than the engines. The life of the truck is measured in hours rather than miles.

Fuel costs have risen sharply. January through March fuel costs for the Solid Waste Department were $2,500 monthly. By August those costs had risen to $4,700. In addition to fuel, the department has spent approximately $12,000 on maintenance costs since July. When a truck breaks down, it must be serviced by a dealer, costing from $125 to $150 an hour, plus parts. Landfill fees are increasing at 2% annually.

The county currently has one garbage truck, about 4 years old, a rolloff truck, and a 2006 garbage truck used for back up. Moore County will continue to assist in waste removal, such as emptying higher volume dumpsters as needed. There will still be Moore County trucks picking up in town as well.

Even staffing is an issue to be considered. The department only has one full-time CDL licensed driver. He is in his early 60s. Finding full-time drivers has been difficult, and the department relies heavily on parttime workers. For now, all staff will remain employed.

Mayor Stewart pointed out that there will most likely not be any savings seen by the change in the short term. The newest of the trucks is not yet paid off, costing about $52,000 a year in debt service. “The goal,” Mayor Stewart says, “is to get away from some of the big expenses on the trucks and maintenance.”