Tucson City Manager Mike Ortega has directed staff to begin delivering old garbage trucks and trash cans to South Tucson.
The decision is a week ahead of the next City Council meeting, which would formalize a temporary contract between the two communities after Waste Management severed its contract with 1.2-mile city last week.
Public health was the primary concern, Ortega said, noting South Tucson also prepaid for the trucks and containers based on the lease payment arrangement included in the proposed intergovernmental agreement.
βThey have delivered a check (prepaying for the use of the trucks and containers for two months) and this situation is what I would consider to be a potential health and safety matter that could affect our residents,β Ortega wrote in a memo to the Tucson City Council on Friday.
The city manager has previously said he would only back a temporary solution that will have South Tucson paying the full cost to lease the materials.
Councilman Steve Kozachik said the bottom line for him is making sure the city taxpayers are not paying for trash pickup for South Tucson residents.
βThis cannot cost Tucson ratepayers a penny. South Tucson has a poor fiscal track record. Thatβs their issue to remedy. Not ours,β Kozachik said.
Ortega has given the City Council an out if the council disagrees with his decision next week, noting the current agreement could be canceled in 60 days.
βTwo months gives you the opportunity make a decision on Sept. 9 and if you decide not to approve the IGA, there should be ample time for them to make other arrangements,β he wrote.
The last day for residential trash pickup in South Tucson is Tuesday, Sept. 1.
The contract was severed over a dispute over $300,000 in unpaid bills.
Commercial trash collection in South Tucson is unaffected because private businesses have individual contracts for garbage and recycling.
