Around Town

Potential Trash Collection Strike Could Impact Watertown Residents

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Watertown DPWWatertown trash and recycling toters. UPDATE: Due to the strike trash and recycling pickup in Watertown will be cancelled on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. See more here. Watertown residents may feel the impact of a looming strike by employees of the company that picks up trash and recycling around the City. The contract between Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25 ends on June 30, 2025, and a strike could occur if a new deal is not reached.

Government

City Negotiating Trash & Recycling Contract in Topsy Turvy Solid Waste Market

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Photo by Watertown DPWCurbside composting toters, like the one on the left, have been added to the Watertown trash and recycling program. The economics of trash and recycling has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride in recent years, which means the City of Watertown’s new waste disposal contract will not be as immune to price changes, and will have to pay contractors to take the recycling, rather than being paid for the products. The City Council voted to allow City Manager George Proakis to negotiate a five year contract with Republic Services, which deals with trash and recycling for most homes in Watertown and runs the Recycling Center. Approval from the Council is needed for any contract longer than three years. The City is not in as favorable a position in negotiating the solid waste contract compared to prior years, Proakis said.

Around Town

Watertown Girl Greeted by Parade of Trucks for Her 2nd Birthday

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Two-year-old Emmeline looks in awe at the five Republic Services trucks that turned up for her birthday. This week, a young Watertown girl got a special visit from Republic Services, the town’s trash and recycling contractor, to celebrate her second birthday. Emmeline’s mother Ashley Dixon wrote this letter in appreciation of the celebration:

Dear Ms. Osmond and Mr. Leavery,

I am writing with a sincere thank you to Shane, his Republic Services crew, and the Town of Watertown. Crews from Republic Services delivered gifts to Emmeline for her second birthday. Whenever my daughter hears one of their trucks, she drops everything to go and watch in amazement.

Department of Public Works

Changes Coming Soon for Watertown’s Trash/Recycling Pick Up

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Watertown residents will see some changes to their trash, recycling and yard waste pick up starting in early December, with most people seeing small changes but some will have a whole new day of the week to put out their trash and recycling. The changes will begin the week of Dec. 11, and come as a result of the Town starting a new trash and recycling contract. The biggest chance with the new system will be five trash pick up days each week instead of four. The Department of Public Works and the trash/recycling pick up contractor Republic Services unveiled the new system for the Town Council this week.

Government

Price of Extra Recycling Toters Reduced in New Trash/Recycling Contract

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Advocates of recycling got good news Tuesday night when the Town Council approved the new trash and recycling removal contract – toters 50 percent off. Residents in Watertown get one green recycling toter, which is collected every two weeks. For some this is not enough and the bin overflows. When Republic Services came to present the new contract at the June 14 Town Council meeting a number of Councilors said they hoped the price of an additional toter could be reduced from the $180 charged in the contract that ends June 30, 2017. Tuesday night, Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced that in the time since the last meeting Town officials negotiated a new price for the additional recycling toters with Republic Services.