Many Fort Collins residents are paying for a Colorado trash service they have never used
Many residents in Fort Collins are now receiving trash bills from a service provider they have never used, and may never plan to.
Thanks to a new contract between the city of Fort Collins and Republic Services, a trash collection company, residents in Fort Collins will be required to give the company money even if they do not use its services.
Although the contract has been in the works for several years now, the contract is just now starting to result in residents being billed.
Scott Solfermoser, a resident in Fort Collins since the early 1960s, was one of many residents who recently found a bill in their mailbox from a company they had never heard of. When he opened the letter from Republic Services, he found a bill for more than $33. When he read the fine print, he saw he was being charged an "opt-out fee." That left him puzzled, as he never opted in to any contract either.
So Solfermoser called the company and learned he was being charged for not signing up to use Republic Services as his trash collector. He also called the city, and it told him he legally had to pay the bill as part of a contract the city reached with the company.
So, like many others, Solfermoser contacted CBS News Colorado hoping to get answers as to why they had to pay for a service they never wanted.
"Have you ever had anything like this before?" Thomas asked.
"No, never had anybody charge me for not picking up my trash," Solfermoser said while chuckling in disbelief.
Solfermoser owns and operates several properties around Fort Collins. Any trash that is generated from the home he received the bill at is always taken to a dumpster he owns elsewhere. He has done that for decades without issue or additional fees.
"I have a dumpster on my commercial property about a mile from here, so I just haul my trash there," Solfermoser said. "It makes sense to throw it in there and not pay for trash service twice."
"Yet here you are, now paying for trash service twice?" Thomas asked.
"Yeah," Solfermoser said.
"Does that make any sense to you at all?" Thomas asked.
"No," Solfermoser said.
Solfermoser was just one of many who contacted CBS News Colorado saying they were being forced to pay bills for trash services they never requested. Some said they were told by Fort Collins that their bills for not using Republic Services would be sent to collections if not paid. So CSB Colorado contacted the city seeking answers as to why residents could not opt-out of the opt-out fee.
Josh Birks, deputy director of the Sustainability Services office for Fort Collins, said the city and it's contractor can legally charge residents this fee under the Colorado regulatory code. He said the city isn't the only one in the state doing so with some services, and said the contract was made with Republic Services as a way to help Fort Collins residents and the environment.
"The opt-out fee has primarily allowed us to create a consistent pricing across the community by guaranteeing a certain amount of revenue for our hauler," Birks said. "This has been a long conversation in our community."
Birks said the effort was initially fueled from around 2013, when Fort Collins adopted a goal to make the city a zero waste city. Then in 2022, the city started publicly discussing creating a contract with a local provider like Republic Services.
Birks said the contract and opt-out fee help encourage residents to switch to using Republic Services without forcing them to give up the provider they currently use. He also said the decision was made in order to bring benefit to the residents.
"Benefits like a consistent price for everyone. Benefits like fewer trucks on the roads. Benefits like enhanced customer service," Birks said.
Birks said Republic Services will operate with one trash day a week for every community, meaning fewer trash trucks will be driving through neighborhoods throughout the week. He said that would also cut down on emissions, as multiple companies will be less likely to circle the same neighborhoods for individual customers.
Birks also said the price rate is locked for every household, making the fees being charged equitable for all.
"I can see how someone feels this is taking a choice from them. What we are trying to do is deliver a better overall service for the entire community," Birks said.
CBS Colorado asked if the city will receive any money from Republic Services as a kickback for contracting with it. Fort Collins will receive $1.35 a month from every household. A city spokesperson said that money will be used for administrative and customer service costs, not as a way to make money for other projects.
The city says residents will also be able to receive weekly trash and recycling through Republic Services for the same price many were paying in 2023 for weekly trash and bi-weekly recycling.
CBS News Colorado attempted to interview Republic Services for this story. However, requests for interview were not returned.
Solfermoser said he was concerned the city would continue to add opt-out fees for other services going forward. Birks said the city is limited on what services they can legally apply the fee to, but did not say whether or not similar contracts and fees could be a possibility in the future.
Solfermoser admits he knew the city was moving forward with a new preferred trash company months ago. However, he said he felt the city forced residents into a financial contract in which they had no vote in.
"You don't get a say in the matter, but you get to pay. I realize it is not a lot of money, but it is kind of the principal," Solfermoser said.
