Olympia residents could face a choice between higher utility rates and privatized trash collection, and on Tuesday, Aug. 11, they showed up at the City Council meeting to fight for a third option: keep the service public without the sticker shock.

Resident Becky Dilba was among those who spoke against the council's consideration of contracting out trash and recycling collection, The Olympian reported. The opposition marks the first organized public pushback since the council began exploring privatization as an alternative to building a nearly $100 million waste and public works complex.

What's on the table

The city's Waste ReSources department currently handles collection for Olympia's roughly 50,000 residents out of an aging facility on Eastside Street. Staff say that site needs to be demolished and rebuilt.

The proposed replacement is a two-phase project: a new Waste ReSources maintenance facility on Carpenter Road near Lacey, estimated at more than $40 million, followed by a rebuild of the Eastside Street public works site.

The full project carries a price tag approaching $100 million and could trigger a 24% utility rate increase for residents, according to earlier Olympian reporting from March 2026.

How privatization entered the picture

Council members balked at the cost. On April 21, Public Works Director Mark Russell and Interim Waste ReSources Director Ron Jones briefed the council on the Carpenter Road proposal under agenda item 26-0295. The council directed staff to explore both building the facility and contracting out collection services simultaneously.

The logic: if a private hauler takes over collection, the city may not need the full Carpenter Road facility, potentially avoiding the rate hike. The Jolt reported in April that council members were divided on the $40.6 million facility, with some leaning toward the contracting option.

Workers and residents organize

By August, the debate had moved beyond council chambers. A labor-aligned campaign circulated on social media urging residents to email the council or attend the Aug. 11 meeting to oppose privatization, framing the issue as a fight to support public workers and their jobs.

"Support public workers, oppose the privatization of City of Olympia Sanitation." — labor-aligned Facebook campaign

Dilba and others spoke in opposition to privatization at the Aug. 11 meeting. No council vote on the issue has been scheduled, and staff have not announced a decision timeline.

What's next

The council has not set a date for a formal vote on whether to contract out services or proceed with the Carpenter Road facility. Residents can email [email protected] to weigh in. The full Aug. 11 meeting record is expected to be posted on the city's Legistar page.