Trash talks: Anoka invites residents to weigh in on organized garbage hauling

Road wear and tear caused by multiple garbage trucks is a common concern in the northern suburbs, where some communities leave it to residents to hire their own trash collectors.

Anoka is another city exploring an organized hauling system, as some City Council members worry about potential road repairs, said City Manager Tim Cruikshank.

The city will host an open house and information session for residents on April 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Green Haven Golf Club. The session will give residents a chance to ask questions, and council members a chance to gauge interest in going to an organized system, Cruikshank said.

"The purpose of this is for the council to get a feel for what the community does think," he said.

Fridley recently looked into organized hauling, but unlike Blaine and Columbia Heights, which adopted organized systems, Fridley did not. After a dozen Fridley residents voiced their views on organized collection during meetings last year, the City Council voted 3-2 against the plan.

Those who favored organized hauling in Fridley said it would ease the stress on the streets, while others argued that it would limit their "freedom to choose a hauling service."

In Anoka, there are six haulers operating in the city.

The idea to look into organized hauling came from a discussion on how the city could preserve streets longer, he said.

During a work session in February, city officials presented information showing that multiple garbage trucks from multiple companies cost Anoka $175,000 in damage to its streets each year.

The same presentation showed that a multiple-hauler system shortens the life of road pavement from 20 years to about 16 years.

If Anoka adopts an organized hauling system, it would join more than 20 area communities, including Champlin, Ham Lake and Minneapolis.

"The intention is to have a discussion so we can all learn about it and hear people's opinions on if it will make sense or not," Cruikshank said. "This is a process for all of us to learn more about it: the pros and cons."