Attorneys for Columbia want lawsuit involving curbside recycling dismissed

The city is Columbia is asking a Boone County judge to dismiss a lawsuit involving curbside recycling.

That’s according to 939 the Eagle’s Mike Murphy, the publisher of Comobuz.com. Murphy reports the city of Columbia argues in court that continuing to charge citizens a fee for curbside pickup of recycling, long after discontinuing the service, is not a breach of contract. They say that’s because you don’t have a contract that’s signed and dated and legally enforceable according to Missouri statutes. Attorneys for the Columbia plaintiff seeking class-action status against the city say your dated and detailed monthly bill should suffice.

Columbia attorney Anthony Meyer filed the lawsuit in December on behalf of resident Christine Gardener “and a class of all those similarly situated.” The city has been charging residents $17.37 per month for weekly curbside pickup of trash and recycling. Mr. Murphy reports it reduced recycling pickup to every other week, and then suspended it entirely in May, blaming a shortage of truck drivers to complete the routes. However, the city continues to charge the $17.37 per month fee.

Boone County Circuit Judge Brouck Jacobs is presiding over the case.