Toledo officials lead community meetings to resolve trash pickup problem

TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo city leaders are giving residents the chance to talk trash about the recent trash service pickup issues.

City council members Theresa Gadus and Nick Komives are teaming up to host a “Talkin’ Trash” community meeting series to hear from the public on their wants and needs regarding trash pickup.

The first meeting was Monday night at the Sanger Branch Library, with meetings continuing every Monday for the rest of September.

“It’s really important as we think about what the next 10 years looks like that we engage our residents and make sure that we listen to what they desire and what they want,” Komives said. “So, I’m excited to talk some trash with my Toledo residents.”

The city’s 10-year contract with Republic Trash Services is set to expire in 2026, and Komives hopes the public will help city leaders decide what the best next step is regarding trash services.

Komives says these meetings are not related to the recent Republic Services workers’ strike and stoppage.

“It was a pure coincidence that this happened to come around the same time as the strike was happening. It did help that the strike happened because we received many more responses on our survey, so we’re grateful that we’ve had all of those opportunities,” he said.

The city put out a survey for residents to give their input on trash services, and Komives says there have been over 3,000 responses.

But some Toledoans are looking for solutions sooner rather than later.

Nneka Garrett-Kelly runs a cleaning business, Sister Services 419, with the help of her sister. They clean everything from houses to offices as far as Detroit and Cleveland. She says the trash in Toledo has been piling up while she’s trying to work.

“If they’re full [the dumpsters], we have to go over top. We can’t get them in there. But if we leave them on the ground, that’s a fine to the company and then I feel a bad mark on us,” Garrett-Kelly said. “Trash isn’t being picked up on time and it’s causing chaos.”

The trash follows her home, too, she says, causing a horrible odor and attracting unwelcome creatures.

“The rats over here are horrible,” she said. “That’s not going to help if the trash is just sitting here.”

When asked about the impact of the Republic Services strike on her trash pickup, Garrett-Kelly said delays and irregular pickup were problems long before.

“Some days our trash is a hit or miss. It comes or it doesn’t. Sometimes they’ll pick up the trash across the street from us, they’ll pick up the trash down the street from us, but our trash will be sitting here for a few days,” she said.

While Komives says the city likely won’t go back to city-employed workers for trash pickup due to the cost, Garrett-Kelly says it could be a good move for the city.

“Put somebody back out to work to get this trash picked up and be consistent,” she said. “Bring jobs back to the city of Toledo, to the residents of Toledo, and clean our neighborhoods up. I’m quite sure that’s what everyone wants is to clean our neighborhoods up.”

The next meeting will be held Sept. 15 at the Heatherdowns Branch Library.