BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Deputy Mayor Benjamin Swanekamp is explaining why the city is reducing bulk trash pickup from two days per year to one in light of the recent user fee increase.
Swanekamp said the elimination of the fall bulk trash pick-up is designed to improve routine street maintenance.
"Our goal is to provide better service year-round," Swanekamp explained.
The workers who handle bulk trash pick-up are part of the Department of Public Works and their streets team. The deputy mayor said freeing them from fall bulk pick-up will allow them to better focus on street sweeping, cutting grass on city-owned vacant lots, and maintaining rights of way.
Cost is also a factor, with each bulk trash pick-up costing at least $500,000.
"That's not with the overtime," Swanekamp said. "That's moving the items out to the dump."
They raised the garbage user fee by 25% in its latest budget, drawing sharp criticism from residents who say they are paying more for a reduction in service.
"I totally understand the frustration," Swanekamp said.
He told me the increase in the user fee is to pay off a $30 million debt in the city's enterprise fund, which pays for bulk trash services. It is a debt the Ryan administration inherited. The enterprise fund is required to be self-balancing by law, but Swanekamp said that has not been the case for most of the past decade.
"We have to pay it back," Swanekamp said.
Impact on illegal dumping?
Illegal dumping has plagued some city neighborhoods for decades, especially those with a high number of vacant lots. 7 News recently heard about the negative impact it has on those living near dumping hot spots.
Swanekamp pushed back on concerns that reducing bulk pick-up days will worsen illegal dumping.
"So we actually find illegal dumping goes up around bulk trash days, so that's when people will take advantage of bulk trash and begin to dump on city-owned or privately owned vacant lots," he said. "Which is another reason why we wanna take a look at doing the one [pick-up] per year."
The city also plans to deploy cameras at known illegal dumping sites to catch those responsible. The misdemeanor comes with a $2,200 fine. Swanekamp told me the first trap camera site is now operational, though he would not reveal the location. The city is also piloting other preventative measures, including fencing at some city-owned vacant lots to stop fly-by dumpers.
Bulk trash changes
The city allows residents to place up to three bulk items in their tote each week, year-round. That's up from the previous allowance of two items per week.
Those with more than three bulk trash items can head to the East Side Transfer Station at 793 South Ogden Street, where each homeowner is permitted to dump up to 1 ton of trash each year. Residents must provide two forms of proof of city residency. Residents can also schedule additional bulk trash pick-up using "pick & pay," with a fee starting at $150.
WATCH: Buffalo deputy mayor explains bulk trash cuts, fee increase
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