Village of Lyons takes trash, recycling services in-house

LYONS – The village of Lyons will no longer be contracting its trash removal service, making the decision to instead turn over those duties to the village's Public Works Department.

The village ended its long-term relationship with Groot Industries on Jan. 1, purchased two used waste removal trucks and hired new public works employees to take on the trash hauling duties.

Village President Christopher Getty said the move will improve accountability to residents and result in cost savings for taxpayers.

Getty said that, although village funds were needed upfront to get the program started for the purchase of two garbage trucks and putting two part-time public works employees on the payroll full time, he expects an annual savings to the village of $150,000.

“Residents won’t notice any real substantive change in the collection of waste and recycling each week,” Getty said. “But long term, and even in the first year, we believe the village will see a cost savings.

In any event, so far, so good, he said.

"There have been some growing pains, but it's been going extremely well," Getty said. "From
my understanding, we have had less complaints and problems arise after taking over the trash removal duties."

Groot was pushing for annual increases of 4 percent, which would have forced the village to increase garbage rates on residents, according to Village Manager Tom Sheehan to the village decision to pull the services in-house.

After analyzing what Groot does for nearly $500,000 a year, the village felt confident the Department of Public Works could take on this roll while saving money, Getty said.

Getty said the village will now have the ability to analyze waste costs, provide better service and expand public works’ manpower.

The garbage will continue to go to the same waste location, the Republic Transfer Station in McCook, which Lyons contracts through the West Cook Solid Waste Agency. The recycling will now go to Lakeshore Recycling Systems in Forest View instead of going to Groot Industries in McCook.

Other local towns have been performing this service in-house for decades, Sheehan said, including Cicero, McCook and Stickney.