News in brief

from Northwest Observer / Sept. 16-29, 2021

Grins and Gripes

‘We can do better,’ representatives of Republic Services say

STOKESDALE – Jorge Fernandez, general manager, and Joe Salamone, area director, operations, with Republic Services, attended Stokesdale Town Council’s Sept. 9 meeting to discuss customer service issues that residents of the town have experienced. Republic Services contracts with both the towns of Stokesdale and Summerfield to provide solid waste and recycling services to their citizens and businesses.

Republic has had its share of complaints about delayed or skipped trash and recycling pickup over the years, and since transitioning from an every-week to an every-other-week recycling pickup schedule in Stokesdale earlier this year, some of those complaints have accelerated. The reduced recycling pickup schedule was part of an agreement between Republic and the town to extend its franchise contract by one year with no rate increase.

Fernandez, a Stokesdale resident, said he offered no excuses for service issues.

“We have had a labor shortage in our industry,” he said, “but that’s no excuse. There’s a fine line between reasons and excuses. I don’t think we’ve done a great job.”

The company has increased wages by over 38% since he took over as general manager a little more than a year ago, Fernandez said, but the labor shortage issue persists.

Adding to customer frustrations has been how – or if – the company responds to customer complaints.

“It’s extremely difficult if you call Republic Services,” Fernandez admitted, saying the company has set up email addresses exclusively for Stokesdale and Summerfield customers to use if they have a problem with their service.

“If someone gets missed, we’ll have a human being respond,” he assured the council.

Salamone said he talked to a Republic Services driver earlier in the day, who told him that switching recycling pickup to every other week in Stokesdale was not going well.

“He said that out of 700 homes, about half could use every-week service,” Salamone said. “We’ve seen a surge in disposal and recycling and we’re just generating more (during the pandemic). It sounded good going to every other week, but we need to regroup.”

Confirming their commitment to “do better,” Fernandez said, “We’re the experts. We need to be more proactive.”

The town will review its franchise agreement with Republic Services next year, when it comes up for renewal. have a problem with your service?

Stokesdale residents can email StokesdaleServices@RepublicServices. com and Summerfield residents can email SummerfieldServices@ RepublicServices.com. Fernandez said an operations clerk has been hired to personally respond to complaints.

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