South Milwaukee is officially getting out of the garbage business. After a packed and often pointed Common Council meeting on Wednesday, alderpersons voted to outsource the city's residential trash and recycling collection to Johns Disposal, a move that will change pickup routines and add a new bill to most household budgets, according to TMJ4.
Under the deal, Johns Disposal is scheduled to begin collection on June 30. City leaders say the first bills will go out after service starts, with residents expected to see annual charges of $164.40 for trash and $81 for recycling. As reported by TMJ4, the contract shifts recycling from every-other-week pickup to weekly service and keeps the current city-owned carts in use until they are swapped out for the contractor's containers.
What Neighbors Will Notice
Once Johns Disposal's program rolls out, residents can expect new carts at the curb and that upgraded weekly recycling schedule. The service plan also includes monthly curbside bulk pickup by appointment. The City of South Milwaukee explains how its cart system currently operates, and Johns Disposal lays out its bulk and special-item services on its residential pages, which officials say will be folded into the new arrangement.
Why Leaders Backed the Switch
City officials framed the move as a financial and staffing play, saying that outsourcing collection routes will trim the garbage budget and free up public works crews for road repairs, tree maintenance and lead-service-line work. Documents reviewed by TMJ4 show projected garbage costs dropping from roughly $1.65 million in 2025 to about $1.19 million in 2026. The agreement could also make South Milwaukee eligible for more than $2 million over five years through the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's innovation grant program if the city applies by the March 31 deadline.
The decision was anything but quiet. Dozens of residents turned out to object, arguing the change felt rushed and criticizing the added fees, while supporters countered that contracting out trash service is the best way to protect other core city services. In the end, councilors approved a contract that runs through the end of 2031 and spells out how municipal dumpsters and commercial services will be handled during the handoff.
Next up for residents is a bit of mailbox watching. After June 30, people should look for mailings from the city or Johns Disposal with billing instructions and details on how and when carts will be exchanged. The city's Street Department and Johns Disposal customer service have been listed as the go-to contacts for questions on pickup schedules, special collections and day-to-day service rules.
