REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - We've all heard of valet service for your car, but now Rehoboth Beach is offering it for your garbage. Thursday marked the first day of the city's pilot trash valet service, in which garbage collectors grab the bins from select people's property, rather than the curb. The service is meant to appeal to those out-of-towners who may not be in town on trash day.
The service is in connection to the passing of a trash ordinance this year that restricts when trash bins can be left on the curb. Under the new ordinance, trash cans can not be brought out before 6 p.m., the night before pickup, and must be taken off city property by 9 p.m., the day of pick-up. City Manager Sharon Lynn said that the ordinance was created, following neighbor complaints about trash bins being left on the curb for days at a time.
"The city prides itself on being clean," she said. "And having everything in order. And piles of trash is not certainly what the city of Rehoboth Beach is. Not what we want to promote."
On Thursday morning sanitation workers were out collecting trash on the south side of the city. Cory Castagnaro said that it was an uneventful start to the pilot, with no problems.
"One (of us) goes and gets the can," he said. "And the other just watches just for a dog or anything else if it tries to attack us. Let's hope that doesn't happen."
Lynn said that the pilot program was initially offered to just 50 people, although more than 100 applied. She said that it may be expanded in the following year if the program proves successful. If the service is provided to everyone, she said staff increases may be necessary.
"For those that are not here on a regular basis," she said. "This valet is a good service for them. They're willing to pay the $300 that the city is charging them. And they're willing to have city staff go on their property and remove the can and then put it back at the predetermined place."
Superintendent for the Streets Department Mike Peterman said that one challenge will be timing, since each valet pick-up adds time to their already tight route.
"Summer is the challenge," he said. "Getting all the trash collected. And trying not to work overtime every day. So we're going to try and be efficient as possible."
It's not just the city getting involved in the "valet" business. Neighbor Kathy Benson also created a business called the "Rehoboth Can Caddy," which will pick up the trash bins of neighbors, and deliver it to the curb for pick-up. She said that there are a great number of neighbors interested in this service while they're away.
