Last week, the city council approved on first reading an ordinance to impose a $10 fine for leaving trash cans out past the day of pickup. The fine would be imposed after three violations and only involve cans left in the way of traffic or blocking rights of way. 
This week, a second vote to implement the fee went down in flames. Negative feedback from residents and bad timing were cited by several council members who changed their support for the fee from the Sept. 13 meeting to the Sept. 20 meeting.
The fee, which was really a fine, would be revenue neutral, not a means of raising money for city coffers, staff explained at the Sept. 13 meeting. The money would cover the cost of city crews moving the trash cans out of the way of cars and sidewalks. Cans left out for days are unsightly and can become smelly. 
According to the current city ordinance, residents are expected to have trash cans at the curb by 7:30 a.m. on the day of collection. The cans should be stored away by midnight on the same day. 
Residents would be warned about an impending fee, said Lawrence Mikolajczyk, director of solid waste operations. In fact, the fee would not be assessed until after the third time cans were left out. 
Several council members spoke, saying they had received calls, emails and texts about the proposed fee. Most of the people who contacted council members did not understand the fee and were against it. 
“I believe we need more information,” council member Chad Magill said.
Council member Rudy Garza Jr. agreed, adding that with a proposal on the Nov. 8 ballot to approve funds for street repairs, passing a $10 assessment fee is bad timing. 
“With waiting for the results of an election, if we don’t get approval from the voters for the streets, we have to find money elsewhere,” Garza said. “The timing is bad, and I want more data.” 
Council member Colleen McIntyre, who is not running for re-election, said she supported approving the fee on a second vote but agreed timing was bad and would follow the lead of the other council members. 
“This [ordinance to bring in trash cans in the same day as pickup] has been on the books for 10 years,” she said. “Right now, everybody is having to pay for the two compliance officers who are moving the 2,000 cans being left out, not just the violators. It’s an issue of personal responsibility.” 
Mayor Nelda Martinez supported taking the fee out of the ordinance but voiced surprise at the change of heart.
“Wow, what a turnaround from last week,” she said. “I think probably the biggest challenge is the education process. I’m willing to wait until staff brings us more information.” 
Council ultimately decided to strike the fee from the ordinance and revisit it after staff could do an analysis and plan an education campaign.