The Fishers City Council is currently reviewing a proposed citywide trash contract with Republic Services. If approved, this decision will result in Fishers residents having to pay the highest trash rates in Hamilton County.
After conducting surveys among residents and homeowners’ associations in Fishers, the City of Fishers issued a Request for Proposal to local trash collection companies and received three bids. In a memorandum dated July 19, 2024, City of Fishers Chief of Staff Jordin Alexander recommended selecting Republic Services and signing a 10-year contract to the Fishers Board of Public Works.
Factors such as competitive rates, minimal service changes for 60% of residents, bi-weekly citywide recycling, and advocacy for residents by the City of Fishers staff led Alexander to conclude that Republic Services is the best long-term solution.
The memo published contract rates for the years 2025 through 2035 as follows (rates are per household or condo per month):
Upon comparison with neighboring cities, it became evident that Fishers residents will have to pay the highest rates for trash service in Hamilton County, with no higher rates found in neighboring Hancock, Hendricks, or Johnson County.
A comparison chart for the proposed Year 1 rates for Fishers, versus other nearby cities starting in January 2025, can be seen below:
Carmel Just Negotiated a Better Deal with Republic Services
Notably, the City of Carmel recently negotiated a superior trash contract with Republic Services this year, securing a 6-year contract for trash and recycling. Carmel’s contract stands out with the following advantages compared to what Republic is offering Fishers:
1. Carmel will pay nearly a dollar less per home per month.
2. The 6-year contract for Carmel is more favorable than the 10-year deal offered to Fishers. It is worth noting that Republic did submit a 7-year contract price that was over $2.00 more per month, by extending to 10-years Fishers was looking for a better rate.
3. Carmel’s contract escalation over 6 years is only 24.2%, in contrast to Fishers’ 32.5%.
4. Carmel has weekly curbside recycling, while Fishers offers bi-weekly recycling.
For a significant time now, I have been advocating that the City of Fishers take control of citywide trash service, as Fishers is the only city in Central Indiana that does not provide this service to its residents. Nevertheless, careful negotiation of terms and rates with Republic Services is crucial to at least match the terms of neighboring Carmel, if not those of the rest of Hamilton County.
Our homeowners association, Windjammer Bay HOA, situated near Geist and Fall Creek Roads, has had a private contract with Republic Services for over 10 years. Our last contract, secured in 2019, was for $14.37 per home per month, with only a 2% price increase for the last 3 years of a 5-year contract. In contrast, Fishers is proposing a $16.39 monthly rate and is willing to accept a 5.7% annual increase for 10 consecutive years.
A public hearing is scheduled for August 13th, and I strongly encourage you to attend this Board of Public Works meeting at 9:00 am at the new Fishers Municipal Center Theater to voice your concerns. While Fishers might be the last to join the citywide trash collection dance, we should not be paying a premium compared to neighboring cities. And if other cities like Zionsville, Westfield, Noblesville, and even Carmel have more favorable pricing and terms, why can’t Fishers do better than this?
Comments 6
While I agree that it seems ridiculous to have higher rates than say Carmel that looks relatively the same as fishers. Fishers has an almost 5% higher growth rate than Carmel. So maybe the company is looking at the fact they will have more people to service in the span of the contract than what they have now.
It’s more than about time for fishers.To be setting this up. However Fishers must do better than this! There was an article in your paper some years back about an intern with the city getting bids for citywide trash service. All the bids were higher than the neighboring cities, just like this time. So he told them they were no good and to rebid. One of the bids came back in at ~$10 per month. Unfortunately, at the public hearing only people who didn’t want their pick-up day changed spoke up, against starting a contract so it was dropped. What a shame!
How much of an effort has been put in to this
‘negotiation’, if any? The same area rates should be presented back to the bidders and a request to justify why we should be paying more, especially when those trash trucks can get here by freeway and probably for less cost and time than some of those other locales.
Yeah, it was Dell Webb residents that blew up the. first go around over 10 years ago. I’m surprised it took this long to get back on the docket.
Why on earth would Fishers residents pay more than any other city?? This 10 yr contract is so unfair to all of us especially with the increased cost of living and those of us on a fixed income. Someone needs to stand up for Fishers residents.!!
I live in Avon and pay waste management over $100 every 3 months. You’re getting a bargain for trash service. I wouldn’t complain.