A couple years ago, city staff made it clear they want a single trash hauler system in Lakewood similar to the one in Golden. However due to political opposition it was decided to do this in gradual increments. The first step, to register all the trash haulers, was accomplished a year or two ago. The second step, currently underway, is to build up public support for city regulation of trash hauling. The City’s PR machine, including the City’s website and at kiosks in city facilities are conducting an electronic “poll” purportedly asking questions about trash services. The purpose of this survey is to create “proof” citizens want the City to regulate trash haulers.
The actual regulation process will also be gradual so as to avoid stirring up opposition. The next step will be to require trash haulers to provide certain services (probably recycling or something sustainability-related). Those haulers who can’t afford those services will be banned.
The fourth step will be to break the city into districts and then award an exclusive contract with a favored trash hauler vendor for each area. The contracts will be awarded to either Republic or Waste Management since those are only two vendors who have made financial contributions to the establishment (while we don’t know all the donations that have been made we did find two of them – $1,000 to Adam Paul’s mayoral campaign from Waste Management and the more subtle $500 donated by Republic Trash to the mayor’s “State of the City” program) .
The final step, some time in the future, will be for the city to award a city-wide contract to whichever of these two vendors can “win the most favor” with the political establishment.