Do I have to take trash service from Live Oak?

The trash agreement which the City of Berryville has with Live Oak is exclusive and is the contract for use by those who live inside the city limits of Berryville. Everyone inside the city limits, as well as those in our extra -territorial jurisdiction (ETJ), receive reduced rates as a result of the volume of customers being serviced by Live Oak along our roadways. This saves all citizens significant monies as opposed to going out into the open market and seeking trash service individually.

Why are the rates going up from Live Oak?

It has been 5 years since any rate increase has been sought by Live Oak. They have faced fuel cost increases, insurance increases, utility cost increases, labor cost increases —just like all of us in Berryville —and they must work to continue to be profitable to remain in business and provide this necessary service to us.

Why is Live Oak discontinuing bi-weekly trash collection?

Live Oak has been studying our habits regarding trash collection and realized that nearly every person who gets twice weekly trash collection now has a container that is only ¹/2 full most of the time.  Therefore, having the trash picked up once a week should be enough for most residences. A few families, however, may feel the need to rent a secondary trash container. Running trash pickup twice per week in an area with so few pickups also increases the cost per stop.

Is Live Oak going to provide us with dumpsters for the City-Wide cleanup again in the Spring like they have in the past?

Yes, and since we exceeded expectations last year at the cleanup with the amount collected, they have added one (1) additional dumpster to our contract for our Citywide Spring Clean Up — so we will have three (3) dumpsters this spring. Our city is growing, and citizens are stepping forward and taking advantage of this benefit more fully each year!

What is Live Oak's policy for trash collection, if I did everything right, but they miss picking up my trash can?

Contact the City of Berryville at 903-876-3763 within 24 hours and Live Oak will send a truck to pick up your trash. If you wait more than 24 hours, you will have to wait until the next week to have your trash collected.

Why does Live Oak require that the trash be placed into the container in bags?

Placing the trash into the container in bags helps to contain the trash when it is being placed into the trash truck, especially on windy days. Additionally, placing trash in approved trash bags is more sanitary, helps keep the containers clean.  Many times, if there is only 1 or 2 bags in the can, the loader will reach in and grab the bags to increase pickup efficiencies.

Why won't Live Oak pick up trash placed on top of the trash containers?

Live Oak sometimes uses automated equipment to pick up and empty cans; bags on the top of the containers do not allow the equipment to work correctly. This is also a situation where the bag is more susceptible to fall or and break open or for animals to get into it and spread its contents around the property and roadway.

Why does Live Oak sometimes reject my trash?

Their contract requires us to bag up trash and not place large appliances in the container. We are also supposed to place the container within 3 feet of the street with a minimum of 2 feet of clearance on each side with the front of the cart facing the street. If we fail to follow the contract, Live Oak has the right to refuse to pick up our trash. Live Oak will almost always pick up all trash. But if there are larger items that cannot fit, have the potential of damaging their trucks, or are hazardous items, they cannot be collected by Live Oak.

Why doesn't the City of Berryville have a recycle dumpster anymore?

Live Oak was informed by their recycling contractor, River Recycling, that their facility caught on fire and burned down. There is no local facility that takes recycling now.

Live Oak would need to load up recycling dumpsters and carry them to another collection site.

However, the nearest collection site is in the DFW area. When calculating the costs of fuel and labor against what the the recycler is willing to pay, it is of little return to Live Oak.  Therefore they have discontinued that service.

Why is Live Oak increasing costs each year in the future when our costs did not go up for 5 years?

The business environment has changed a lot.  During the last 5 years just finding a workforce who will show up and perform the services required for waste management requires increasing pay annually.  Additionally, annual insurance costs are going up and equipment maintenance is expensive to keep their fleet operational.  Linking their contract increases to the Consumer Price Index is consistent with how other cities are handling business matters such as this and is typical contract language.

What day will trash services be provided to Berryville citizens?

Trash will be collected every Tuesday, unless Christmas or New Year's Day falls upon that day.

Live Oak gives the City of Berryville an update and that information is placed on the city's webpage for everyone to see. (Ref: cityofberryville.org)

Also, the city will send an email out to everyone who has registered and will provide them the Holiday schedules.

If you have not submitted your email to the City Staff, please do so by sending an email to berryvillecityof@gmail.com and you will receive those notices via email.  If you provide your cell phone number, the City can provide text alerts as well.

When do these new rates go into effect?

The new rates go into effect February 1 , 2025, as it was approved at the January 14th, 2024 City Council Meeting.  They will show on the February water bills received the first week of March of 2025.

The Tuesday only trash pickup will commence the week of February 4th, 2025.

What if I do not want to pay the increased rates?

Trash service is required within the city limits (reference: Berryville Ordinance 4-4-77 regarding trash on properties). The increased rate for pickup is something we all must accept and pay.

Why does the contract with Live Oak state the customer is to pay $19.00 for one (1) residential container to be picked up per week, but you have stated our bill will be $23.00?

In the previous contract, part of the fees paid to Live Oak by residential customers included a franchise fee of $3.00. That franchise fee was then paid each month to the City of Berryville from Live Oak for the administrative cost associated with handling their monthly billing, taking their payments, handling complaints and concerns, etc. Live Oak decided to stop taking in those charges with their billing then cutting a check to the City of Berryville for the administrative work performed by City Staff, but rather let the City bill for it directly. That administrative work is still being performed by City Staff and that cost has not been updated for over 5 years.

So, it was updated and will be added to Live Oak's cost, resulting in a cost of $4.00 (an increase of $1 .00/month for administrative handling) to be added to Live Oak's charge.