BILLINGS — A Billings family says their trash was skipped this week, even though the city’s proposed stricter trash pickup policy hasn’t taken effect.
On Jesse Bradley’s West End street, yard waste was collected, but his garbage was not.
See examples of the trash dispute below:
“I noticed yard waste was picked up first, which it usually is,” Bradley said.
He found a red sticker on his trash can.
“And as I walked out there, I saw a big red sticker off it... and proceeded to read what was going on,” he said.
The sticker said the can was too full to empty.
“The sticker said I had large sticks and objects protruding out of it.” Bradley said.
However, Bradley’s garbage can didn’t have sticks sticking out of it. In fact, the lid was hardly left open at all.
So he called the city to ask about the policy.
“They told me beginning in September that this was the rule and that they would be back in a day or so to pick it back up, once I had leveled it off,” he said.
Bradley also questioned the efficiency of sending trucks back for missed cans.
“I don’t know of many people that like to do it twice,” he said.
Public Works Director Debi Meling said some drivers misunderstood the timeline for enforcing the proposed changes.
“Some of our drivers thought we were ready to pull the trigger on that, and we are not quite ready to do that,” Meling said.
She said the policy will be presented at an Aug. 4 city work session and is meant to reduce litter around Billings.
“If you drive down South Billings Boulevard, if you drive down the interstate, go on any street and you’ll see litter. And I think our city has more to offer when it looks like there’s litter all over the place,” she said.
Bradley said his garbage was eventually picked up, but he believes the city should do a better job letting residents know about potential changes.
“Being out of town, I thought maybe I had missed something, you know, a memo or something. But talking to others, they were in the dark about it as well, so I think they need to bring it forth for some public comment as well,” he said.
Meling said drivers handle as many as 1,200 routes a day and overflow pickups slow them down.
She added the real cost to taxpayers would come from adding more routes if backups continue.
City leaders are expected to take up the proposed policy at the Aug. 4 work session.
