Regular trash service ended with the City of Crookston on Friday, July 11, and since then, Director of Public Works Chuck Getsman has been fielding quite a few phone calls with questions about trash service. “Phone calls have definitely picked up since the city decided to end its colored bag garbage services. People wanting to sign up, learn a little more about the process, and wondering if it’s too late to sign up,” says Getsman. “It’s not too late to sign up.” You can sign up for the bin service by going to the City of Crookston’s website, or you can call City Hall with your information and ask any questions you may have. Getsman says it generally takes about 3-5 days after you sign up to get your bins.
Residents have options. If you don’t want to go with the new bin service, you are always able to haul your own garbage. “The options right now for residents are the optional bin service through Waste Management; otherwise, Crookston is a unique community in the sense that it has its own Transfer Station right in town,” says Getsman. “The Transfer Station allows any Polk County resident to drop their garbage off there for free. That’s a great service if you are right here in Crookston and you are able to get your items over there. If you are not, that is where the optional bin service comes into play.”
There are costs associated with the bin service, so residents may need to consider that before signing up. The basic bin service will get residents one 96-gallon garbage bin and one 96-gallon recycling bin for a total of $20.90 a month. Garbage will be picked up every Wednesday, and recycling will be picked up the first Wednesday of the first full week of the month.
Some residents have been wondering what a water bill will look like now if they did not choose to go with the bin service. “If you are to look at your water bill and you are not going to get the bin service, you will still see a $6 monthly fee on there,” says Getsman. “The best way to explain that $6 fee is that it’s there to cover Spring and Fall Clean-Up, the twice-a-month yard waste pick up that we do, and it’s to cover the driving charges, the fuel charges, and everything like that for the city to be able to operate those services.” Those who go with the optional bin service will also see the $6 monthly fee, as it is for services that are separate from the bin services they are receiving.
Getsman did mention that at the end of the year, once the sign-ups and cancellations level out, because more people are still signing up, they may be able to talk with Waste Management about a rate reduction at that time. If you have any questions for Getsman, call City Hall at 218-281-1232
Important links regarding garbage/recycling services in Crookston.
What Do I Do With My Blue Recycling Bins? – https://www.crookston.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=135
Yellow Garbage Bag and Blue Recycling Bin Services Are No Longer Available – https://www.crookston.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=134
Last Week of Pickup for Yellow Garbage Bags and Blue Recycling Bins is July 7th – 11th – https://www.crookston.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=132