Lee's Summit voters reject single trash hauler proposal

Voters in Lee's Summit, Missouri, rejected a proposal Tuesday that would have established a single citywide trash collection provider. The result allows residents to continue choosing their hauler instead of moving to the proposed arrangement, which would have reduced the number of companies providing service in affected areas.

The city council approved placing the question on the ballot in January. Homeowners associations with their own contracts for trash collection would have been exempt from the proposed citywide service. Concerns about road damage from trash trucks were among the reasons behind the ballot question, but residents interviewed by KSHB 41 News described keeping their options as a priority.

For George Constable, president of Constable Sanitation, the outcome means his family's business can remain in Lee's Summit. The family comes from the city and has collected trash in the area for more than 111 years. In October, Constable discussed the proposal alongside his father and son, both also named George Constable, and said it could force the business out of the city.

Constable had described the possibility of losing that local legacy during his time leading the company as deeply emotional. Following the election, he said the business could maintain its routine and continue the work his family wanted to keep doing in Lee's Summit. Before the vote, competing haulers joined in a social media campaign promoting their view that competition helps produce competitive prices.

Ann Carroll was among roughly 29,000 voters who opposed the measure. She welcomed the result and said she valued being able to decide which company to use. "I love the freedom of choice," Carroll said. She also expressed concern that the proposal could put small businesses providing trash collection out of business.

Another voter, Mary Shafer, questioned whether the trucks were causing increased damage to roads. Although multiple trash trucks travel through neighborhoods, she said their presence had not bothered her. She also pointed to the range of available providers as a benefit, allowing residents to select the service they preferred.

Constable said residents interested in contracted collection still have options, noting that several homeowners associations in Lee's Summit do not have contracts. He suggested that neighbors who want fewer trucks on their street communicate and sign up with the same provider. Despite his concerns about the proposal's effect on the business, Constable said he would have continued living in Lee's Summit regardless of the election result.