City of South Milwaukee Awarded $1.58 Million Innovation Grant to Support Garbage Collection Service Transfer
With the assistance of Innovative Public Advisors, the City of South Milwaukee has secured a $1,580,275 Wisconsin Innovation Grant to support the transition of municipal garbage collection services to a contracted service model. The grant was approved by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue through the Innovation Grant Program, which encourages local governments to implement innovative, cost-effective approaches to service delivery. The City will receive up to five annual grant payments of $316,055 over the grant period.
The transition will enhance service for residents while allowing the City to redeploy Public Works personnel to other high-priority community needs. Under the new service model with Johns Disposal Service, Inc., residents will receive weekly recycling collection, doubling collection frequency from 26 to 52 pickups annually, and 12 residential bulk pickups per year, providing a convenient and predictable option for disposing of large household items. Residents will also be able to schedule bulk pickups directly with the service provider, creating a more streamlined customer experience.
"Thank you to DOR Secretary David Casey and his team for this significant investment in the future of South Milwaukee and for recognizing our commitment to delivering high-quality services while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars," said Mayor Brett Briesemeister. "Residents will benefit from enhanced recycling and bulk collection services, while the City gains additional capacity to maintain streets, support neighborhoods, and address other critical public works priorities."
The Innovation Grant recognizes the City's plan to improve operational efficiency by leveraging modern collection equipment, advanced routing technology, and the expertise of an established service provider. The transition will eliminate approximately 195 annual trips to disposal facilities and allow Public Works staff to focus on pothole repair, pavement marking and striping, road maintenance, snow removal, fall leaf collection, and the City's urban forestry program.
The grant application process was led and facilitated by Innovative Public Advisors (IPA), a public sector executive recruitment and strategy firm. For more information, please contact IPA Partner Jess Wildes at 262-339-5658 or jess@public-advisors.com.
