People like to complain, and frankly, the switch from Republic Services to Constable Sanitation is being met with hostility by some. My opinion is to sit down, take a deep breath, relax, and maybe not post something on the City of Warrensburg's Facebook page that makes you look like an idiot. Mainly, because the people griping now may very well be the same people that were complaining about what a crappy job Republic Services were doing and begged the City to get involved.

History

In the fall of 2021, Republic Services bought Heartland Waste and struggled with staffing issues and getting the garbage picked up throughout Sedalia. Frustrated residents urged the City to intervene, which led to City Manager Danielle Dulin publicly addressing the concerns with Republic Services. Additionally, the City Council scheduled a work session to discuss the current waste issues and the future of garbage services in Warrensburg.

Republic Services eventually resolved its issues, and the frustration faded as most residents accepted them as the default trash provider -- many unaware that they had options until others started posting about alternate providers in a few Warrensburg community Facebook groups. By the time the City had decided to contract a single trash provider for all of Warrensburg, the debacle of the fall of 2021 had largely been forgotten.

Axes To Grind With The City

Some residents are unhappy with the City's decision to award a single garbage contract, especially those previously using RAD or J&S, as they now face higher costs. However, many who stayed with Republic Service benefit from better services at cheaper prices.

While the City stepped in as requested and resolved the initial issues with Republic Services, one valid piece of criticism is the lack of public awareness about ongoing council discussions that led to the current deal, forcing most residents to use Constable Sanitation. Better communication and public input may have helped determine whether further City involvement was needed once Republic had improved and other haulers were available.

Constable Sanitation's Issues Getting Going In The 'Burg Are Nothing Like Republic Services Issues.

Republic Services' most significant issue was communication when they took over Heartland's routes. Not to mention, at least at the start, there was a feeling that no one at Republic Services was trying to solve the issue, at least not until the City stepped in to see what was going on.

The biggest issue with Constable Sanitation has been that they've been late getting people their garbage bins. Yet, between the City publishing updates on the Warrensburg Facebook page and Constable Sanitation devoting a webpage to the issue, there's been a transparency from the City and trash hauler about what's going on and when people will have their carts. It also seems like when you call the trash company, you speak to a human being.

Yes, not having a garbage cart for a week is inconvenient. I get it. However, it's also a first-world problem that's being solved. As best as I can figure it out, we asked the city to fix the garbage problem, and they have. Some residents seem to like having something to complain about.