Grosse Pointe Park made the decision to dump Priority Waste as its trash hauler this week amid ongoing complaints about the company’s performance.
City Council members voted unanimously on July 13 to replace the company with the Warren-based Express Waste Services, which will begin collecting trash, recycling and yard waste Oct. 1, when the city’s contract with Priority expires.
The city announced the news on its Facebook page on July 17.
“This was an important decision, and we took it seriously,” the city said. “Residents have been clear that they expect reliable collection, responsive customer service and better communication when issues arise. Those expectations helped guide our review.”
City leaders selected Express, despite its higher price tag.
Residents currently pay $14.67 per month for rubbish, recycling and yard waste collection. Priority proposed a monthly rate of $15.50, while the Express bid came in at $17.60 per month, city documents note.
Frustration with Priority Waste has grown across metro Detroit in recent weeks as local officials from a number of municipalities report missed pickups and resident complaints, prompting communities to withhold payments or explore switching haulers altogether.
Meanwhile, the Clinton Township-based Priority Waste announced June 1 that new CEO Aaron Johnson was specially recruited for the role and will lead efforts to improve operations and reliability at the company.
Priority Waste says it provides residential trash, recycling, and yard waste collection services to more than 1.3 million households across Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, making approximately 3.9 million stops each week.
According to a memo from Grosse Pointe Park City Manager Nick Sizeland, a committee recommended Express because it committed to dedicated supervisors and customer service staff, unlimited bulk collection without advance notice, a recycling rewards program and free back-door service for qualifying residents with disabilities.
A message on Sizeland’s voicemail said he was out of town until next week. Assistant City Manager Cynthia Paparelli was not immediately available for comment.
The city received two responses to its request for proposal, documents say.
In its proposal letter, Priority acknowledged service issues after it took over collection from GFL Environmental in July 2024, but said it has addressed issues.
“We heard those concerns directly … and we understood the frustration,” the letter says. “We responded not with excuses, but with decisive action. We right-sized staffing, strengthened fleet readiness, optimized routes, and worked side-by-side with the exceptional team at the Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Works. Through that collaboration, we created real momentum and materially improved the resident experience.”
The letter also noted that members of Priority’s executive team live in Grosse Pointe Park and the surrounding Grosse Pointe communities.
A letter from the much smaller Express Waste Services said the company is experiencing momentum.
“With the experience and motivation of the staff at Express Waste Services, the business is expecting to grow slowly, but to be a major waste provider in both Oakland County and Southeast Detroit market soon,” it says.
On July 1, Priority Waste released a 30-day progress report outlining its service recovery efforts under Johnson:
The full letter can be viewed here.
Grosse Pointe Park said Express will distribute new trash and recycling carts before service begins and will provide more information about the transition and collection schedules in the coming months.
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Grosse Pointe Park drops Priority Waste over service
Reporting by Laura Colvin, Hometownlife.com / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Laura Colvin, Hometownlife.com | USA TODAY Network
