Southgate City Administrator Dan Marsh (right) discusses problems concerning the timeliness of Priority Waste residential waste pickups during the June 17 City Council meeting as Mayor Joseph Kuspa listens.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
SOUTHGATE – Late and missed residential trash and yard waste pickups were a topic of concern during the June 17 City Council meeting, with city officials receiving numerous calls from upset residents.
City Administrator Dan Marsh said the contract the city signed with Priority Waste in 2025 allows for penalties for missed routes.
“Specifically, a $1,000 penalty for every time they don’t complete a route within the allotted time,” he said. “So, we have been charging those against the invoices monthly.”
Marsh said the city is working with management at Priority Waste and its new CEO to discuss the ongoing issues.
“Ultimately the goal is to have on-time and predictable trash service out of them,” he said.
Marsh said the city has been told that mechanical problems with waste pickup trucks and the high volume of yard waste that occurs this time of year contributed to the problems.
“We have to balance the frustration that we are all feeling with Priority right now with the practicality of what it would mean to terminate without a plan in place,” he said. “So, we are going through the steps that we want to use right now, starting with penalties, meeting with the leadership and trying to get back on track, because ultimately if we can get the yard waste route back on track by a couple of days, this is a conversation at this point, for the city of Southgate at least.
“That being said, we are obviously open to looking at other alternatives, and I have reached out to a couple other administrators to see how they are handling it.”
Late pickups have been happening throughout Downriver and in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights in recent weeks, with residents bringing their concerns to city officials during meetings.
Priority Waste, which took over Green for Life’s residential customer base in 2025, removed its founder and CEO Todd Stamper from his position on Feb. 7. On June 1, Aaron Johnson was named Priority Waste’s new CEO, following a $190 million capital injection by Priority Waste’s new parent firm, TPG, a private equity and asset management firm.
Johnson will need to upgrade the company’s truck fleet, improve route pickup reliability and settle past claims.
Paul Ruthenberg, Priority Waste vice president of municipal relations, said June 8 that equipment failure and employees who had been working non-stop for 15 days presented challenges.
“I’m patiently waiting for operations to settle this down,” he said. “I really can’t blame any of the officials or residents for their anger.”
He said on June 17 that 91 new waste hauling trucks have been ordered.