Billing changes for Waste Management accounts are now in place in Westfield.
The switch from the city billing for trash collection to residents paying Waste Management directly was made official April 1. Mayor Scott Willis said although the transition was on the rocky side, residents will now pay for their garbage pickup directly.
Willis told residents gathered at a town hall meeting in March that in the weeks leading up to the switch, there was a good deal of incorrect information circulating around following a mailer that came from Waste Management earlier than expected explaining the new process. That mailer led to workers at City Hall fielding hundreds of calls from confused residents.
“Nothing changes with the contract,” Willis said.
The refuse contract was originally made with Ray’s Trash Service, which was acquired by Waste Management in August 2022. The contract runs through the end of 2025.
Willis said a provision regarding payment to Waste Management was the catalyst for the change. According to the mayor, When Waste Management took over the garbage pickup, the contract noted that the city would pay for the services, but only as bills were paid. Willis said delinquent refuse accounts are currently about $500,000 in arrears, money that Waste Management is not receiving even though they are providing those services.
The result was turning billing over to Waste Management, which means they can cut off collection services to those who don’t pay.
“Nothing will change in terms of the cost of your trash services,” Willis said. “Nothing is changing except that you’re now going to get a bill from Waste Management for the trash. You’ll still get a bill from the city for wastewater, but you will get a bill from Waste Management and it should be the exact same amount you were being billed from the city.”
Willis said that while he too was frustrated with some aspects of the trash service, there are positives, starting with removing the city as the middleman when it comes to reaching out to Waste Management. Willis reminded residents that Waste Management has an online platform that residents will be able to use, including customizing their accounts to set up payments.
Trash and recycling pickup routes, as well as pickup days, are unaffected by the switch.
Residents can find information on the billing switch, as well as links to sign up for online payments with Waste Management at westfield.in.gov under the “departments” tab.
