Asheville – That awkward contractual phase of “getting used to each other” is very significant for solid waste haulers in Buncombe County, with its hidden coves, unmarked streets, and camouflaged driveways. In recent history, Waste Pro struggled to stop missing driveways until some words from the county commissioners sparked long hours of enthusiastic rallying to make things right.
Undaunted, the commissioners put the franchise up for bid, presumably due to a rate dispute, and FCC took over at the beginning of the year. At a recent briefing, Charles Merkley, Vice President of Business Development for FCC North America, was called into the chambers to address the customer complaints inundating the commissioners.
Commissioner Martin Moore noted, “You haven’t seen what spring looks like here.” He stated that failing to collect trash at the current rates would pose a health and safety issue as the weather gets warmer.
Commissioner Drew Ball pointed out that FCC “started after a huge natural disaster, and then the ice hit.”
Commissioner Al Whitesides believed they should have resolved these issues by now. “I went through Waste Pro, I’ve been through a lot, and I live in the City of Asheville. I’ve gotten more calls and people stopping me at the supermarket, at church, everywhere I go about their garbage collection… They’re beating us to death with this. I saw three emails reading my emails today before coming, and I’ve never run into what we’re running into now. What concerns me is, I’m beginning to hear more about garbage than about the Helene problem.”
Merkley shared some facts that the county had asked him to collect, describing a work in progress. FCC has currently issued 77,966 carts to 38,983 customers, which is 3,285 more than when FCC started. Some customers still don’t have carts, and not all Waste Pro carts have been reclaimed. Waste Pro begins processing requests for carts as soon as they are received, but “many residents have come to our location and picked up carts,” Merkley said. “That’s not the ideal way to do it, of course.” Merkley noted that only bear carts are backordered. To date, FCC has distributed about 1,000 bear carts, with 300 more arriving soon. People needing a cart should call 828-820-7022 or pick one up from 3109 Sweeten Creek Road.
Several commissioners had questions from customers whose trash had been missed repeatedly and who have resorted to DIY hauling. They were informed that nobody had received any bills from FCC yet, and credits would be issued. Commissioner Terri Wells asked Solid Waste Director Dane Pedersen to review the accountability clauses in the contract for the public. Pedersen described a “very punitive contract.” Fees for missed pickups reported before 3 p.m. and not resolved by midnight start at $200 each for the first ten carts per month and increase to $500 each for more than 20 misses. Additional penalties are charged for more than 200 misses in a month.
Currently, FCC is receiving an average of 296 calls per day, representing 0.7% of customers. Of those calls, 148 are for missed trash, 23 for missed premium service, 103 for missed recycling, 13 for new cart requests, and nine for old cart pickup. Chair Amanda Edwards asked if these numbers included customers who were calling the commissioners instead of FCC, and she was told no. She added that there were likely also many people who don’t know whom to call for help.
Wells reviewed some of the complaints she had been receiving. Callers have to wait 20–45 minutes before speaking to someone who says they’re just a call center and cannot pull up accounts or “see anything.” Merkley replied that they have increased staffing. Six call receptionists are located in Asheville; however, if all lines are busy, calls will roll over to FCC offices in Colorado or Houston. Additionally, FCC has added ten drivers, two manufacturing technicians, and several managers in the county to navigate this transition.
Summing up, Pedersen said, “I knew what some of this was going to look like. I don’t care which company came in here and how they were going to approach it. We were going to have many, many challenges. Now, it’s time that the rubber’s got to meet the road. FCC understands the accountability metrics in the contract. They expect to be held accountable, and our part is to make sure that they are.”