The Kirkland City Council during its meeting Tuesday unanimously approved a seven-year contract with Waste Management, Inc. (WMI) for the collection of garbage, recyclable items and compostable materials beginning on July 1.

The contract provides for services to residential, multi-family, and commercial properties in current city limits and the Finn Hill, North Juanita, and Kingsgate areas currently served by Allied Waste Services that will be annexed to the city on June 1.

Negotiated service enhancements include limited restoration of weekly garbage collection at 22 city neighborhood parks, a later morning start time of 7 a.m. in single- and multi-family areas, collection of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) in WMI-provided sealable bags, and curbside collection of bundled plastic grocery bags.

Other service improvements include Christmas tree collection in the first two weeks of January, installation of solar-powered garbage compactors in the Central Business District, replacement of diesel vehicles with compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles by July 31, 2012, and separate colored multi-family and commercial (blue) recycling dumpsters to avoid confusion, thus reducing recycling contamination rates.

The new contract provides that if WMI misses service for two or more consecutive weeks due to inclement weather, WMI will deploy garbage and recycling trucks in affected service day area(s) where customers can drop off garbage and recyclables at no charge.

The city’s Utility Billing Division will assume the billing of annexation area customers. The negotiated rates package includes a single 9.7 percent contract rate increase to WMI effective on July 1, 2011, which may translate to up to a 3 percent garbage bill increase charged to customers starting January 1, 2012. The council will consider customer rates this fall.

For more information about the contract, contact John MacGillivray, Solid Waste coordinator, Kirkland Public Works Department, at 425-587-3804 or jmacgillivray@ci.kirkland.wa.us.