James City County will start the first step of consolidating garbage collection next year, County Administrator Scott Stevens told us.
The first step will be to invite garbage haulers to bid for garbage collection and curbside recycling in the Grove community, he said.
Virginia law requires a five-year waiting period before a county can eliminate private garbage haulers and take control of the work. But as long as no one is forced to use the county services, the county can provide its own in competition with private haulers, Stevens said.
His ultimate goal is to eventually require everyone to use the county services.
Four years ago, a survey of county residents found 95% of them were very satisfied with their current trash haulers. And 57% said the cost was appropriate. The county also could not match the price paid by high-density neighborhoods like Fords Colony or Colonial Villa…