MORGANTOWN — Unlike the city of Morgantown, Monongalia County has no real dog in the fight when it comes to trash collection.
Whereas the city has an exclusive and enforceable contract with Republic Services, trash collection in the county is the purview of the West Virginia Public Service Commission.
Even so, county residents are getting fed up with missed service and asking the county commission for help.
“We’re receiving numerous complaints about garbage pickup,” Commissioner Tom Bloom said Wednesday.
The commissioners shared a couple letters to demonstrate the point.
One resident, who lives just outside the city’s boundaries, near the Morgantown Municipal Airport, said there hasn’t been a trash collector by her home in a month despite area roads being clear.
She asked the commission to hold Republic Services accountable, noting her family in Morgantown are receiving service.
“The accumulated trash is gross, and if people store these bags in their garages they attract mice and rats,” she wrote. “We need representation to deal with the trash company. We pay our trash bill. Why should trash pile and fall into our streets?”
Another letter, from an Arbogast Lane resident, said garbage in his neck of the woods hasn’t been picked up yet in 2025.
“Trash is starting to pile up,” he wrote.
Bloom later told The Dominion Post that he hears from at least five or six people weekly from different areas of the county – particularly the Cheat Lake area.
“Most ask for guidance and help in resolving their problem,” he said, explaining he believes there is a misunderstanding from some that the county works with these businesses.
This is a recurring issue this time of year.
It was almost exactly one year ago that Monongalia County Litter Control Officer Alex Hall said he was getting inundated with calls about missed trash pickups in the county.
Hall suggested reaching out to the trash hauler in question, then making a formal complaint to the WVPSC. The PSC hotline is 800-344-5113.
West Virginia Code mandates all individuals have and use trash service or deliver their trash to the transfer station no less than every 30 days.
In the meantime, Bloom said he would forward the complaints along to the service provider.
In addition to Republic, other haulers operating in Monongalia County include Mountain State Waste and Morgantown Disposal.
