For nearly 10 years, the Solid Waste Division of the City of Memphis (TN) has worked in collaboration with consultants to help bring them closer to their goals. Through financial planning, budgeting, rates, and service level options, assessments, and support, the Division provides services to approximately 200,000 service points within the City for garbage, recycling, and outside trash collections. This session addresses the initial steps of this partnership that centered on assessing options for service delivery models for outside cart (bulk waste), assessing rate implications of the service delivery models, and developing a multi-year rate plan to support the selected option. Today, the plan continues to change as the City’s needs change, making space for customer demand and service.  

After attending this session, participants will be able to:  

• Discuss solid waste budget-tracking best practices. 

• Analyze a successful example of a solid waste service delivery model analysis. 

• Employ solid waste rate-making for waste reduction and the circular economy.