Smithville Switches Waste Provider With 12-Day Notice, No Public Record | The Locally Times
A city announcement on February 20 reveals a new waste contract starting March 4, leaving residents with just days to prepare and no public record of the decision-making process.
The City of Smithville announced a complete overhaul of its residential solid waste and recycling services on February 20, 2026, giving residents just 12 days before the new provider, Texas Disposal Systems (TDS), is scheduled to begin collections on March 4. The changeover requires immediate action from residents, some of whom had only a weekend to learn that their old waste carts needed to be left out for a final collection beginning February 23. According to a notice posted on the City of Smithville website, the contract with TDS became effective on March 1, a mere nine days after the public announcement. This rapid implementation of a core municipal service leaves the procurement decision untraceable in public records and circumvents typical public notification processes. ## An Abrupt Transition The timeline detailed in the city’s February 20 announcement presents immediate logistical challenges for residents. The final collection by the previous, unnamed service provider was scheduled to occur between February 23 and February 27. The city instructed residents to leave their old trash and recycling carts at the curb during that week for removal. This instruction gave residents as little as three days, including a weekend, to become aware of and comply with the first step of the transition. Following the removal of the old carts, new services with Texas Disposal Systems are set to commence with the first collections starting on March 4. However, public records do not contain this referenced document, leaving the specific details of new collection days and routes unavailable. The announcement also provides links to a TDS welcome packet and a service information page, but the core details of the decision to make the switch remain absent from public view. ## A Decision Without a Public Trail A review of publicly available documents, including meeting agendas posted on the City of Smithville’s website, reveals no record of a City Council meeting where the contract with Texas Disposal Systems was discussed or approved. The source materials contain agendas for a Parks and Recreation Board meeting on March 2 and a Planning and Zoning meeting on March 3, but neither agenda includes items related to a municipal waste contract. There is no public record of any hearings, workshops, or agenda items that would have signaled to residents that a change in this essential service was under consideration. The absence of a public paper trail for a municipal contract of this type is a departure from standard procurement procedures. Such contracts typically involve a public process, including a Request for Proposals (RFP), evaluation of bids, and a public vote by the governing body. Records detailing this process for the TDS contract—including when the decision was made, what other companies may have bid, and the criteria used for selection—are not present in the available documents. The city’s February 20 announcement is the first and only official communication about the decision provided in the records. ## Unanswered Questions for Residents Beyond the opaque decision-making process, the announcement leaves residents with critical, unanswered questions. The financial impact of the new contract is entirely unknown. The city’s notice does not state whether the switch to TDS will result in an increase, decrease, or no change to the fees residents pay for waste services on their utility bills. The terms of the contract, its duration, and its total cost to the city are not specified in any available public document. Furthermore, the city’s communication does not name the previous solid waste and recycling provider, nor does it provide any reason for the change. It is unclear whether the previous contract expired, was terminated for performance issues, or was ended for other reasons. This lack of context makes it impossible for residents to assess the merits of the switch. ## The Path Forward As the March 4 start date for the new service arrives, key documents that would normally accompany such a decision—including the TDS contract, council meeting minutes showing its approval, and information on the financial impact to taxpayers—have not been made public. Furthermore, public records list no upcoming City Council meetings with agenda items to address the transition, leaving the path for future public input or accountability unclear.