CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Starting September 16th, Priority Waste has 24 hours to respond to a Clinton Township homeowners complaint or they will be fined $50.
“Learn something from it, like ‘Hey take care of this, straighten this up,” said Kimberly Johnson, Clinton Township resident. “I know $50 doesn’t seem like a lot but when you have to keep paying it, it adds up.”
Johnson says ever since Priority Waste took over for GFL in July, there’s been issues with her trash pickup.
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“It’s a little irritating because you expect your garbage to be picked up and you go to put your can away when you get home from work at 3:30- 4 o’clock and it’s still sitting there and you’re like oh okay,” said Johnson.
Johnson says she’s glad Clinton Township is holding Priority Waste accountable.
“You got to do your job, if you’re not going to do your job and someone’s paying you to do it, then why should they pay you?” Johnson added.
Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon says the township’s contract with Priority Waste includes a provision that calls for a 50-dollar fine each day the company does not resolve a resident’s complaint.
“We think this will make it get better because eventually it could cost a few dollars and the company is not going to like it and I suspect after people see this viewing there are going to be other communities that are going to be pressured into doing the same thing,” said Cannon.
A spokesperson for Priority Waste says one of the main reasons there have been delays in trash pickup is more than half the trucks GFL gave to Priority were not in working order.
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When 7 News Detroit asked the Priority Waste spokesperson about Clinton Township’s plan to fine them, we were sent this statement:
“The leadership team from Priority shared a firm plan of action with the Clinton Township administration the day after their board of trustee meeting and vote. The allocation of trucks and the retrofitting of the fleet should be complete by the 9th of September and the logistics driver coordinator portal should be up and operational at that time. In conversations with several of the trustees, they expressed reassurance that the plan was executable and perhaps it will forgo any necessity for the execution of fines that was to commence on the 16th of September. We appreciate everyone who has worked so hard through this journey to get us where we are today. We’re a little over 50 days into this 90 day process and Clinton Township is just that much closer to getting everything fully operational.”
Supervisor Bob Cannon says if residents have issues with Priority Waste, they should call the township and the township will get in touch with Priority Waste.
“At least Clinton Township’s looking out for me,” said Kimberly Johnson.
