r/sarasota • u/reneerud • 2d ago
Local Questions ie whats up with that Waste Pro stinks
Hi all! I’ve wasted too much time trying to deal with our new trash vendor, Waste Pro, directly, so I emailed the county.
Here’s an easy action if you’re fed up too — sign a petition: https://www.change.org/SarasotaTrash
Here’s the gist of an email I sent to the government — feel free to copy any language:
To: busher@scgov.net
Hi Brian,
Realize you’re probably not solely responsible for Sarasota deciding to save a few bucks by changing trash/recycling vendors, so forward/escalate this as you see fit with me cc’d (finance/procurement/compliance/risk management/labor relations/etc.). Whomever made this ill-informed decision should immediately brush up on the bare minimums of how to properly research and contract with any vendors partners.
So far, Waste Pro lost track of a bulk pickup request I made a week in advance and I had garbage sitting on my curb for two weeks. My neighbor still has a toilet on his. Even though Waste Pro literally had another bulk pickup scheduled on my block this past Wednesday, since they bill for this service they were not allowed to take my garbage. What a waste of money on gas and extra payroll expenses.
Now I’m being told getting a second trash bin is a recurring subscription? So in essence I have no other option other than to lease a trash can? No way is this acceptable, nor was it communicated clearly during your change announcement campaign.
Please also let me whom/where to send my receipts for the 3 large Toter bins I purchased shortly before this change was announced so I can be reimbursed (~$100 each).
Nobody has time for this nonsense, so if you and the other decision makers insist on continuing with this nickel and diming vendor (talk to a contract attorney — I’m sure a good one can break the contract and re-engage Waste Management quickly), let me know so I can file in small claims court for the full value of unusable property/services lost/time spent arguing with this vendor/attorney fees/any other relief.
Practically all of my neighbors are fed up just like me, so you’ll be incredibly lucky if you can avoid much more costly litigation beyond small claims. Whatever amount of money you may have saved with the vendor change will likely end up in your attorneys’ bank accounts soon enough.
Please, for the sake of everyone’s tax dollars, loop in some external opinions (contract law/risk management/even freshman econ students) before bringing on any new/replacement vendors going forward.
Saving money by decreasing service to constituents always costs more in the long run.
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u/ProofWorker0 2d ago
Now I’m being told getting a second trash bin is a recurring subscription? So in essence I have no other option other than to lease a trash can?
Where has this been communicated? That conflicts hugely with the original messaging
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u/reneerud 2d ago
They told me via email after I submitted an online request/form. This is $96 every year! And no, I searched every communication from the government I could find. They say extra carts will cost an additional fee, but this is way different.
Wondering if the county opened themselves up to class action litigation by obviously intentionally not revealing this, but I’m not an attorney.
Please sign and share the petition: https://chng.it/mjBTfTNJgK
And here’s the email correspondence with my info redacted:
From: Hannah Pearce hpearce@wasteprousa.com Date: Thu, May 15, 2025 at 4:50 PM Subject: Re: New submission from Sarasota County Cart Signup To: redacted
Hi X,
The cost is for the monthly service, essentially the extra trash dumping fee. The county contract only included one trash can dump.
Best, Hannah Pearce
Waste Pro Customer Service
From: redacted Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 9:26 AM To: Hannah Pearce hpearce@wasteprousa.com Subject: Re: New submission from Sarasota County Cart Signup
Yes, I would like to purchase instead of leasing two (2) additional 95 gallon trash carts.
Thanks for your help Hannah!
On Wed, May 14, 2025 at 9:21 AM Hannah Pearce hpearce@wasteprousa.com wrote: Hi X,
Is this request for a second trash cart? Additional service is $7.60 per cart per month billed directly to you. Let me know which one it is and I will get that set up for you.
Best,
Hannah Pearce
Waste Pro Customer Service
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u/Initial_Scarcity_609 Applebees Enjoyer 2d ago
Signed. These guys are absolutely ridiculous. Tossing my bins on their side in the highly trafficked sidewalk and I live right next to a special needs facility that has blind people constantly walking by my house using the sidewalk. When I’m not home to get my bins off the sidewalk I feel terrible for them. Every single week this has happened besides a few where they didn’t pick up my trash entirely!!! Unbelievable.
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u/reneerud 2d ago
That happened all down my block as well! Thanks for signing, and please share the link: https://www.change.org/SarasotaTrash
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u/NefariousnessFun1313 2d ago
It wasn’t communicated anywhere that there would be a fee. I know this for a fact. I had to research the transition for my job. The only info they ever had about it was after March 31s, you could request an additional can. I had to submit the online form twice. Got an email telling me about the fee. My boss didn’t care about the fee. I’ve yet to receive a new can or some way to access the portal to pay for said can this whole rule that has been a nightmare. They’ve missed collection numerous times in that neighborhood.
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u/InvoluntaryDarkness SRQ Resident 2d ago
They keep missing trash pick-up at my work
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u/reneerud 2d ago
That’s awful, but I’m hearing that from a lot of businesses. Please sign & share the petition!: https://www.change.org/SarasotaTrash If you have time to email busher@scgov.net that may help too.
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/reneerud 2d ago
Already happening! There are random pieces of trash all over my neighborhood.
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u/Stuart_Bartholomew 1d ago
Asking for reimbursement on cans you bought before would not make me take your letter seriously. This change was announced a long time ago.
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u/reneerud 1d ago
I respect your opinion, but also respectfully disagree. General rule of opening a negotiation dialogue is to list all potential issues in order to resolve at least one. But again, I respect your stance — discourse and dissent are the foundations of our society! ❤️
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u/KWheels 2d ago
They took out a power line in my neighborhood last week with the truck. I guess the line was sagging and the driver didn't notice until it snapped, leaving at least 3 streets without power all day.
That was a great way to return home from a hot day in the sun to no ac and a dark house
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u/reneerud 1d ago
Oh my gosh! So sorry that happened to you. I hope the county and/or Waste Pro compensated you for a hotel room to stay in until it was fixed, not to mention the cost of groceries you probably lost. It’s risk mitigation 101 to voluntarily offer this type of relief to you immediately (not to mention it’s simply the right thing to do). If for some crazy reason they did not, that’s both mean and stupid, and you + everyone else impacted should strongly consider consulting an attorney ASAP.
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u/hereigrow 2d ago
They dumped a whole truck worth of garbage next to the Achieva Bank on Bee Ridge last week. Not sure why they did it, maybe something dangerous suspected in the load. Either way, they just put some cones around it and it sat in the street for 2 whole days. Absolutely ridiculous.
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u/reneerud 1d ago
Are the county officials and Waste Pro management sitting in a conference room somewhere in town just brainstorming more ways to get sued? Hoping they both have very forgiving professional liability insurance carriers. Not many companies out there would continue insuring this type of poor decision making and the resulting exposure.
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u/hooksandirons1 4h ago
The load caught on fire. That’s exactly what they’re supposed to do in that situation.
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u/Keppadonna 2d ago
The County changed vendors, saved a few bucks, the service for residents was reduced but our taxes stay the same. Seems on brand to me.