Garbage became a focal point in Paonia this summer as hungry bears turned it into a staple of their diet amid drought conditions that reduced their natural food sources. Now, it's back in the spotlight as the town reconsiders its city-run trash program, partly due to the hostility public works employees say they face from residents.
The Paonia Board of Trustees discussed the Solid Waste Enterprise, which provides trash pickup for residents as part of the city’s Public Works department, at last week’s work session.
Public Works Director Ericka Donaldson outlined several concerns with the program, which is serviced by a crew that also handles streets, parks and water. One of the main issues is inconsistent billing, with residents paying significantly different rates for the same services.
Donaldson told the board, “It is a complete mess and I am not gonna sugarcoat anything at all. Nobody's paying the same fees. Nothing is put in correctly.”
She noted that some residents have still received trash pickup despite repeatedly failing to pay their bills.
Employee injuries are another concern. Donaldson said every serious injury in the Public Works department has come from the trash route.
But perhaps the most unexpected part of the meeting was the discussion of how residents have treated public works employees. Donaldson explained that residents will regularly call the city and complain that their trash hasn’t been picked up after it was put out late.
And according to Donaldson, some interactions with residents have become so hostile that she worries about employees’ safety while they’re working the trash route.
Police Chief Garrett Henderson chimed in, adding that residents call or visit the police department to complain when workers don’t return to pick up extra bags.
Public Works leadership painted a picture of how far these interactions have gone. Employee Jordan Redden recalled a former employee who had trash dumped on his front lawn by a resident who was angered that the town hadn’t returned to collect garbage that was put out late.
Trustees discussed three paths forward, with the discussion centered on how to best serve town residents.
The first would be a full rebuild of the system with market-rate charges, new dumpsters, a second truck and tracking software.
The second involves eliminating the ordinance requirement that residents use town service and letting them choose among three private haulers.
The last option is suspending the service while retaining the truck and infrastructure.
Trustee Hunter urged the board to look into financial details for each option.
Since the meeting was a work session, no official decisions were made.
