Kent customers who did not receive garbage pickup from Republic Services during a work stoppage Jan. 12-14 (Wednesday-Friday) will receive a discount.
Negotiations between City of Kent staff and Republic Services resulted in an agreement to reimburse missed service.
Republic Services will pay a total of $200,000 to cover refunds, Kelly Peterson, the city’s deputy director of public works, said during a March 7 report to the city council’s public works committee.
The size of the container used by customers will determine the amount of the discount. Those with 13 gallon containers will receive a $2.18 credit on their next bill. Reimbursement increases based on container size, including $4.36 for 20 gallons; $7.37 for 32 gallons; $10.80 for 45 gallons; $16.73 for 64 gallons; and $25.08 for 96 gallons.
Most Kent customers have 32-gallon containers, Peterson said.
Local drivers honored a strike by Republic Services drivers in Southern California during the January 12-14 work stoppage.
Arizona-based Republic Services contracts with the City of Kent to handle garbage, yard waste, and recycling services. The contract runs until 2029.
The services of the Republic have issued a statement on the discounts.
“At Republic Services, we understand the frustration our customers felt following the combined snow and strike events in January. We value our customers and the communities we serve, so we will be providing a discount to City of Kent customers affected by the unexpected work stoppage in January.
“This discount is based on the service portion of your weekly rate. Discounts are being given to customers in the City of Kent who were affected by the work stoppage from January 12-14. These discounts will be on your next scheduled bill.
“We appreciate your patience and understanding during this unfortunate combination of events, and look forward to continuing to serve you in partnership with the City of Kent.”
Peterson said that although customers did not have garbage service in December due to snowstorms, inclement weather is not covered in the contract between the city and Republic Services as a reimbursable amount. In these cases, Republic typically picks up twice as much trash the following week as the customer’s normal weekly service.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated on no discounts due to snowstorms or bad weather.
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