Rumpke takes over trash service July 1

A Rumpke spokesman said Hilliard residents shouldn't see any changes in their current trash collection when the company takes over service July 1.

"For the most part, people place their material out to the curb, and it will be collected as it always has been," said Jonathan Kissell, communications coordinator for Rumpke Consolidated Companies Inc. "Our goal is to make it that the biggest difference is that the name on the truck has changed."

Starting July 1, Rumpke will be hauling Hilliard residents' trash for the next three years. City council recently approved Rumpke to collect the trash, citing the company as having a lower bid than current hauler, Local Waste Services.

Since being awarded the contract, Rumpke has been meeting with city officials to discuss details. A letter from Rumpke explaining those details that will go out to Hilliard residents was unavailable to ThisWeek as it was going to press.

"Initially, what we're going to try to do is follow the same schedule that residents have been on in the past from their previous hauler," Kissell said. "Our goal is to keep things simple and to make it so that residents will not experience much change at all.

"While we know that the transition to a new company may have its moments, we will do everything we can to work through them and to provide the excellent service they've come to expect and deserve."

Each resident will receive an 18-gallon recycling bin from Rumpke, Kissell said. Those wishing to rent a 96-gallon wheeled cart for their garbage may do so for $36 a year.

Kissell said there's a part of the letter that asks for the residents' contact information, which he hopes will be returned to Rumpke "so we make sure we have every collection stop recorded in our system. That will help tremendously throughout the transition process."

When asked about some residents' concerns with past Rumpke service, Kissell said, "At our Columbus district in particular, we have had some changes in management over the years. We have a great working relationship with many of the municipalities, cities and townships within the area, and we hope residents will give us an opportunity to prove that we can provide excellent service throughout the duration of this contract.

"If they do have questions or concerns as things start up, we encourage them to contact us," he said. "It's in our best interests to know from residents if they have a question or a concern. The more contact we have with the residents, the more likely that we'll be able to fix any problems that may arise."

Kissell said Rumpke received a Torch Award last month from the Better Business Bureau in central Ohio for "Ethical Enterprising." In a statement, BBB president Kip Morse said Rumpke was one four businesses in central Ohio to receive the award.

"That's based on different things such as the way we treat our customers, the way we treat our employees, our integrity as a business," Kissell said of the Torch Award. "We take very seriously our customer service, and if there are problems, we correct them as soon as we possibly can. I can assure residents that that will be the case in Hilliard as it is in every neighborhood that we provide service to."

According to its Website (www.rumpke.com), Cincinnati-based Rumpke is "one of the nation's largest privately owned waste and recycling companies." It was founded in 1932 in Carthage, Ohio, and currently "owns or operates eight landfills, several transfer stations and six recycling centers in Ohio (including one on Fields Avenue in Columbus), Kentucky and Indiana," has a fleet of 1,600 trucks and employs 2,000.