The Ramsey County city of Mounds View has been embroiled in a battle over organized trash collection for months.
This week, voters will have some say in the matter: In a special election Tuesday, the question of whether or not Mounds View will need voters’ permission to move to city-organized trash collection will be on the ballot, alongside a contest to fill an empty City Council seat.
As it stands, Mounds View residents contract individually with one of five haulers that operate in the city.
Last year, the city revived previous talks of changing that. Mounds View officials have said city-organized collection would decrease wear on roads.
Amid that debate, residents gathered enough signatures to put a question on the April 9 ballot. It asks voters if they want to amend the city charter to require voter approval to move to organized trash collection.
Mounds View also began the process of negotiating organized trash collection contract with haulers — a regimented process governed by state law that’s designed to give haulers a chance to remain in the market.
Soon, that process soured. Earlier this year, two haulers operating in Mounds View, Walters Recycling and Refuse and ACE Solid Waste, requested a temporary restraining order and filed a lawsuit against the city and officials, accusing the city of violating the process outlined in law. A Ramsey County judge ordered the city to continue negotiating in good faith.
In late March, the city terminated negotiations with haulers. Mayor Zach Lindstrom said the parties reached an impasse.