Monroe, Wash. — The Monroe City Council voted 7-0 July 22 to direct the mayor and staff to begin a request-for-proposals process for solid-waste collection after repeated missed trash pickups in July and a chaotic community drop-off event the city hosted.

Council members said the immediate problem was missed residential service the weeks of July 7 and July 14, followed by a municipal drop-off event the city organized and said was fully funded by Republic Services. Public works Director Roberts told the council the city’s current agreement with Republic was signed in 2017, is on a rolling three-year renewal cycle and had most recently been renewed in 2024.

Why it matters: Council members said residents paid for a service they did not receive, suffered inconvenience and health concerns, and the city’s staff and police devoted time and resources to an emergency response. Council members pressed for both resident relief and accountability from the contractor.

Council discussion: Councilmember Scarborough described long lines at the drop-off and said the primary harm was the uncertainty: “It was the inconvenience of not knowing that is more annoying than having to pay the bill.” Councilmember Hanford said residents have been “paying for garbage service that they're not getting” and urged more than a small refund: “There should be some kind of a discount or some kind of credit to our residents for the hassle and the inconvenience.” Councilmember Fisher asked staff to document what Republic did or did not do under the contract and requested a written explanation of the company’s compliance with the city agreement.

Operational details and city response: Director Roberts summarized the city’s role: Republic had prioritized certain ‘‘key accounts’’ (wastewater plant, hospitals and some multifamily) during service disruption, and the city elected to host a community drop-off event after Republic said it lacked resources to run both key-account pickups and a community drop-off in Monroe. Roberts told the council the city-hosted drop-off was “100% fully funded by Republic Services.” Council staff later reported the city had approximately five public works staff and law enforcement at the event. A staff count given during the meeting said the event served “just shy of 400” people.

Council actions and next steps: By unanimous vote the council approved a motion to direct the mayor and staff to begin an RFP process for a new garbage provider and schedule an informational session in September. Council also agreed by consensus to prepare a formal letter to Republic Services, expressing concerns and requesting information about contract compliance, service plans for future disruptions, and compensation measures for residents and for city costs for staff and police time spent responding to the event. Several council members said they want Republic representatives to appear in person before the council in September to explain their response.

Distinguishing discussion, direction and decision: The meeting record separates debate (residents’ inconvenience, complaints about communication, requests for credits), direction (staff directed to draft a letter and to begin RFP planning), and formal decision (7-0 motion to start an RFP). There was no formal council vote recorded on specific resident credits; council members endorsed pursuing at least a month’s credit to customers as an appropriate minimum.

Clarifying details from the meeting: The current Republic Services contract was signed in 2017 and operates on a rolling three-year renewal cadence; the agreement was most recently renewed in 2024. Missed pickups were reported the weeks of July 7 and July 14. The city-hosted drop-off was reported to have served “just shy of 400” people; staff present at the event included public works and police personnel (public works staff estimated at five), and the event was paid for by Republic Services per staff remarks.

What the council asked for: Councilmembers asked staff to (1) request a written account from Republic Services showing how the company met or failed to meet contractual obligations, (2) document city staff and police costs and seek reimbursement, (3) explore automatic credits or a one-month credit for affected residents, and (4) prepare an RFP and hold an informational session in September. Several councilmembers asked that Republic appear in person to answer questions if possible.

Background: City staff said Monroe’s agreement with Republic has been reviewed annually since at least 2020. The city’s emergency drop-off aimed to provide temporary relief after the company reported limited staffing and prioritized critical accounts. No formal litigation or contract termination was recorded during the meeting; council indicated pursuit of additional information and competitive alternatives.