Dunedin keeps recycling, signs $1.17M deal

The city of Dunedin will keep its curbside recycling program after commissioners unanimously approved a new collection contract on Oct. 22. The deal awards the service to Waste Pro of Florida for $1.17 million. This decision reverses a 3-2 vote taken by the commission two weeks earlier that nearly halted the program.

City staff explained that the contract is funded through the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, not the General Fund. The 2025 Solid Waste Rate Study anticipated cost increases, and savings from ending service to unincorporated county customers helped offset those escalators. Staff noted that discontinuing recycling would require three additional rear end loader trucks costing about $1,225,000, three full-time employees, 1.5 temporary staffers, and 2,875 90-gallon carts costing roughly $460,000. The total budget impact of stopping recycling would be $1,828,826, with recurring costs of about $862,238 annually.

Commissioner Rob Walker, who initially hesitated over the 17% price increase, shifted his stance after reviewing the financials. Walker, who serves on the commission, said he felt guilty about his earlier vote because the relationship with Waste Pro dates back to 2017. He highlighted the company's role in meeting FEMA reimbursement deadlines after Hurricane Irma. Commissioner Steve Sandbergen also changed his position after speaking with neighbors who reported their bins were full of Amazon boxes and wine bottles. He stated he is now fully in favor of the program.

Katherine Eichner from Pinellas County Solid Waste warned that stopping recycling would shorten the county landfill's life by 20 years. The landfill currently has 66 years of capacity left and processes up to 1 million tons through the Waste To Energy Facility, but receives about 1.5 million tons from the county. She urged the city to continue as a model recycling community.

City Manager Jennifer Bramley and Mayor Maureen Freaney supported the reconsideration. Bramley said staff had not briefed the commission fully on the ramifications of discontinuing service. Freaney described the initial rejection as surprising but noted that the commission needed more information to make an informed decision. She expressed relief that the program remains intact for the fifth most populous municipality in the county.

The city serves 11,800 solid waste customers with curbside recycling and two drop-off facilities at Lake Haven Recycling Center and Highlander Pool. Assistant City Manager Jorge Quintas noted that Waste Management's bid was likely higher because they would have had to replace all existing carts. The commission's final vote ended the debate over the future of local waste management.

Commissioner Tom DuGard acknowledged that the earlier no vote stemmed from a lack of full understanding regarding the deal's mechanics. The unanimous approval on Oct. 22 secured the contract and maintained the city's current waste management infrastructure without the need for new truck purchases or staff expansions.