Trash Pickup Changes Coming for Newly Annexed Oxonians

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

This is the third in a series of stories on what changes new Oxford residents who were recently annexed can expect in the coming months. Topics will include water/sewer service, garbage pickup, police and fire protection, taxes and more.

Residents living in the purple area will have trash pickup on Mondays and Thursdays, and in the green areas, Tuesday and Fridays. Map from oxfordms.net.

Oxford’s newest citizens may find a new garbage can on their driveway this week as the city prepares to take over trash collection for about 1,500 residents since the city annexed about 11 miles.

The former county residents will now receive trash collection twice a week instead of once a week starting Nov. 5.

For residents who live north of Jackson Avenue, north of Highway 6 West, and in the Rivers Hill area, garbage will be collected on Monday and Thursday. For residents who live south of Jackson Avenue and south of Highway 6 West, garbage will be collected on Tuesday and Friday. A map is available on the city’s website showing the collection days for both garbage and rubbish, which consists of lawn waste and tree limbs and larger items like furniture and appliances. 

About a year ago, Lafayette County implemented a new program where county citizens received one, 90-gallon garbage can with tipping bars. The goal was to have an easy garbage collection method that also protected the men and women working in the truck.

The city of Oxford has been considering such a program and is using the newly annexed residents like a pilot program, said Oxford Environmental Services Superintendent Amberlyn Liles.

Newly annexed Oxford residents should leave their Lafayette County garbage cans at their curbs.

“The county will pick them up,” Liles said. “They might be there a few days but they’ll be collected.”

The old cans will be replaced with similar cans owned by the city of Oxford.

“We’re in the process of getting people their new cans that have printed information about their trash collection days and other important information,” she said. “We are asking people to be patient. We are working with Lafayette County to make this transition as smooth as possible.”

Liles said the new city cans will only be given to areas recently annexed. The city’s collection trucks are not automated but do have the ability to tip the cans, which still requires a worker to operate.

“We will take notes and see how it goes with these areas,” Liles said, adding that looking at moving toward a completely automatic garbage collection system city-wide is a possibility in the future.

All billing for the former county residents has stopped and refunds are being processed for those customers.

Another first for annexed residents will be having household recycling pickup once a week.

“People have been asking how to get recycling bins,” Liles said. “You can apply for them
online.”

The first bill for Oxford Environmental Services will be mailed in December. Oxford Electric Department handles all utility billing for the city, including water, sewer, environmental services, and power. The bill can be paid by mail or in person at the Oxford Electric Department located at 300 McElroy Drive. The rate for Environmental Services is $21 per month. This includes twice-weekly pickup, rubbish pickup, recycling, and street sweeping for curbed public streets.

If you have questions in regards to former county bills or refunds, call 800-253-0831. For more information, email clean@oxfordms.net.