Quincy residents who've relied on 75-cent trash stickers for over a decade are being asked to adjust to a new reality: renting a trash tote for $10 to $15 a month, with a one-time $60 setup fee, as the city phases out its old sticker-based collection system. City officials say the switch is needed because operating costs have climbed sharply, but some residents say they still don't understand exactly what's changing or why.
Quincy Public Works Director Jeffrey Conte has said the city's costs have risen by almost $1 million per year over the past 12 to 13 years, according to WGEM. Conte said trash rates haven't changed since 2014, even as operating costs for the program have doubled since then. A rate increase is expected to be proposed to the city council in the coming weeks, though the board has not yet approved any new figures, and any final rates would still require council sign-off.
What Residents Will Pay
Under the new system described in reporting from KHQA, residents who want city trash collection will need to rent a tote: $10 a month for a 35-gallon size or $15 a month for a 96-gallon size, plus a $60 initial service fee per tote. The program remains optional, and residents must opt in to start service; those who sign up can cancel later by contacting the water department.
Conte has said a resident using about one bag of trash per week currently pays roughly $6.50 a month under the old sticker system. Switching to the smaller 35-gallon tote would raise that same resident's monthly cost by about $3.50, with an annual increase KHQA reports as about $182; the $60 one-time fee is additional. Mary Ann Klein said the new cost is considerable for people on fixed incomes, and that residents had not heard enough information about the new system and its effects.
Curbside Pickup Replaces Alleys
The city is also changing how trash gets picked up. Quincy has purchased a new waste collection truck. Residents who currently put trash in alleys for pickup will instead need to place totes at the curb, a shift that drew concern from Alderman Jake Reed, who said curbside placement could be difficult for elderly residents or people with disabilities, particularly at homes with steep front yards.
Per KHQA, residents with disabilities or mobility limitations, as well as those whose alleyways or roads prevent truck access, should contact the city to work out individual arrangements. Klein echoed that point, saying residents should reach out with their specific circumstances so they aren't overlooked as the transition moves forward.
New Trucks, Reassigned Workers
Quincy's garbage collection has long relied on two-person teams — a driver and a worker who loads trash by hand — but the automated truck is expected to change that going forward. The city paid $420,000 for its first truck, according to KHQA, and plans to buy one additional truck annually until it has four. Muddy River News reported that the council approved the original waste-collection truck purchase in April as part of the plan to phase out bags and stickers in favor of tote-only collection.
Workers who previously lifted trash by hand will be reassigned to other teams, including the street crew, rather than losing their jobs — the city has said the new system will not eliminate any city employee positions. Quincy's old trash trucks will either be repurposed for other uses or sold, per KHQA. The council separately approved a purchase of 500 garbage carts, and the city had planned to give residents until the first week of January to adjust to the collection changes.
A Sticker Buyback, and Lingering Questions
City officials have said leftover trash stickers could be bought back and credited to residents' accounts, though the evidence does not confirm that plan has been finalized or implemented. Conte has said a rate increase would help offset the cost of garbage service, and the city expects operating-cost savings and increased revenue over time to help fund street projects as well, according to WGEM.
Not everyone is convinced the rollout has been handled well. At a meeting the League of Women Voters of Adams County hosted Thursday night about the new trash system, Klein said the changes had been launched suddenly and that residents still lack enough detail. She also raised a separate worry: that pushing residents toward larger trash totes could inadvertently discourage recycling if people start tossing recyclables in with their regular trash. The city has said it hopes to begin the new program by May 2027, though Quincy has experimented with optional tote service before — a flat-rate program launched in 2015 at $12.99 per month, back when residents could also choose 75-cent stickers or a private hauler instead, according to The Herald-Whig.
