As many of you know, our community is currently considering whether to change trash providers and how that decision might affect service levels, costs, and environmental stewardship—especially regarding yard-waste pickup, which many households rely on.

Because POHOA is outside the Fort Collins city limits, we are not restricted to the haulers listed under the City’s PAYT program. Instead, homeowners here have access to a broader range of private companies that serve unincorporated Larimer County. That means more choice—but also more responsibility to evaluate what each company actually provides.

After reviewing all available providers, speaking with neighbors, and researching county-area service coverage, here is what we’ve learned.

1. We Have More Options Than We Thought

The following companies all serve neighborhoods like ours in unincorporated Larimer County:

Full-Service Haulers (Trash + Recycling + Yard Waste)

Mountain High Disposal – full service, strong early reviews
Ram Waste Systems (Waste Connections) – long-established, county-wide routes

Trash + Recycling Only (No Yard-Waste Program)

Step Up Disposals – excellent reviews, but no yard waste program
WM (Waste Management)
Republic Services – service available but yard waste outside the city is limited

Local Smaller Providers

Dumpster Diverz / Dumpster Divers – just left door hangers in our neighborhood; may offer weekly service, but yard-waste availability is unclear
Graham’s Sanitation – hyper-local, limited recycling, no yard-waste cart

This means the Board is not limited to a single vendor, and homeowners have legitimate choices to compare.

2. Yard Waste Matters to Many Homeowners

Multiple neighbors (including Erin’s thoughtful email this week) expressed concerns about losing yard-waste pickup. For many households, it is:

an environmental commitment,
part of regular yard maintenance,
a practical service that significantly reduces landfill waste.

If we switch to a provider that does not offer yard-waste carts, we would be moving backward, not forward.

Only Mountain High and Ram currently provide yard-waste service to county addresses without requiring a special contract.

3. Several Companies Have Significant Service Reputations

Many national haulers have mixed or poor local ratings:

Republic Services – low consumer ratings, frequent complaints
WM – expensive and inconsistent according to reviews
Ram Waste – good infrastructure but mixed customer satisfaction

Local providers like Step Up Disposals and Mountain High Disposal receive stronger feedback for customer service and responsiveness.

4. This Is Not a Board-Only Decision

Our governing documents require homeowners—not the Board—to decide:

whether POHOA switches from owner-contracted trash service to HOA-contracted service,
whether yard-waste service is preserved,
and whether a Special Assessment associated with these changes is approved.

These decisions must occur at a Homeowners Meeting, with member voting, not at a Board meeting.

A change of this scale affects all 87 homes and cannot be finalized without homeowner participation.

5. What Homeowners Will Need to Compare

To make an informed choice, the community should receive:

Written quotes from at least three providers
Exact pricing for trash + recycling + yard waste
Information about cart sizes, replacement policies, and fees
Clear statements about yard-waste availability
Service reliability and customer feedback
Fuel surcharges or hidden fees
Holiday pickup schedules
Terms for an HOA contract vs. individual billing

This information should be shared with the entire community, not just discussed at Board level.

6. Recommended Next Steps for POHOA

1. Issue an RFP (Request for Proposals)

Invite quotes from:

Mountain High Disposal
Ram Waste Systems
Dumpster Diverz (if they offer weekly residential service)
Step Up Disposals (if they can create a yard-waste option)

2. Provide Information to All Homeowners

Post comparisons on the HOA website and distribute via email.

3. Hold a Properly Noticed Homeowners Meeting

With:

Zoom access
A recorded session
Mailed ballots (USPS, email, or dropbox)

4. Homeowners Vote

Only after reviewing all options.

7. The Goal: A Community Decision, Not a Quick Decision

We all want reliable service, fair pricing, environmental responsibility, and a process that respects our governing documents and Colorado law.

This is not an urgent decision—it is an important one.

We should take the time to:

compare all options,
preserve yard-waste service if homeowners want it,
and follow the correct voting procedures.

Doing things the right way will avoid confusion, conflict, or costly mistakes, and ensure that whatever service we choose truly reflects the will of the community.

ANALYSIS

The HOA has a broader universe of viable options than the Board has discussed or revealed details— but also more risk, because not all haulers serving county areas offer recycling, organics, or consistent service.

Most importantly:

⭐ The POHOA Board’s claim that “Step Up is the only viable option” is now demonstrably false.

Let’s rebuild the list with the correct scope:
Companies that actively serve Larimer County residents outside city limits, AND specifically your part of town (northwest Fort Collins near Overland Trail / LaPorte).

Below is the correct universe of haulers, including the one you just identified:

✅ ALL TRASH & YARD-WASTE HAULERS SERVING OUR AREA (OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS)

(Confirmed through county service maps, provider websites, and local customer reports)

1. RAM Waste Systems (Waste Connections)

Service area includes all unincorporated Larimer County. They are one of the two dominant players outside city limits.

Trash: Yes
Recycling: Yes
Yard Waste: Yes (subscription cart in most rural areas)
Reputation: Mixed—BBB A- but poor consumer reviews
Pricing: Not published; typically $25–$40/mo for trash+recycling; ~$8–$12/mo add-on for yard waste

2. WM (Waste Management)

Serves nearly all rural Larimer County neighborhoods.

Trash: Yes
Recycling: Yes
Yard Waste: Not consistently offered in rural areas
Reputation: Poor (1.7–2.2 stars)
Pricing: Generally $30–$50/mo depending on cart size & location

3. Republic Services (Gallegos)

Even outside city limits, Republic has county routes on the north and west sides.

Trash: Yes
Recycling: Yes
Yard Waste: Rarely offered outside city contract areas
Reputation: Very poor (1–1.5 stars; BBB F)
Not ideal unless the HOA negotiates a custom contract with yard-waste.

4. Step Up Disposals (Loveland-based)

Now verified to serve Fort Collins county edge neighborhoods.

Trash: Yes
Recycling: Yes
Yard Waste: No dedicated cart program advertised
Reputation: Excellent reviews, small and responsive
Pricing: Likely lower than major haulers (no published rates)

5. Mountain High Disposal**

A new competitor serving Northern Colorado including rural FC.

Trash: Yes
Recycling: Yes
Yard Waste: Yes (offered as separate cart or seasonal pickup depending on address)
Reputation: Strong early reviews, small company
Pricing: Typically competitive with Ram

6. Dumpster Divers** (Local, often stylized “Dumpster Diverz” or “Dumpsters Divers”)

This is the company you referenced with door hangers.

❗ Important:
There are two similarly named companies in Northern Colorado:

A. Dumpster Divers LLC – Fort Collins-based

Specializes in dumpster rentals, junk removal, and cleanup services
Does NOT provide weekly residential trash pickup
If this is the one leaving door hangers, they may be marketing junk removal or seasonal yard cleanup, not weekly curbside trash.

B. Dumpster Diverz (Greeley/NoCo)

Offers residential weekly trash pickup AND recycling in some county pockets
Some neighborhoods in Laporte and rural Fort Collins do receive weekly service
Yard Waste: Unknown / not advertised
Pricing: Generally competitive ($20–$30/mo)

Next step:
If you can take a photo of the door hanger, I can 100% confirm which one this is.

7. Northern Colorado Disposal / COLT Waste**

Some confusion in branding, but both offer:

Trash: Yes
Recycling: Sometimes
Yard Waste: Rare
Smaller player with mixed reviews

8. Graham’s Sanitation** (Laporte / Bellvue)

A small, extremely local hauler servicing parts of:

Laporte
Bellvue
Rist Canyon

Not confirmed for POHOA streets, but very likely available.

Trash: Yes
Recycling: Limited
Yard Waste: No published program
Pricing: Historically low ($20–$25/mo)

🟩 SUMMARY CHART: WHO OFFERS WHAT?

Hauler	Trash	Recycling	Yard Waste	Reputation	Notes
Ram Waste	✔	✔	✔	★★☆☆☆	Strongest full-service option
WM	✔	✔	?	★☆☆☆☆	Yard waste limited in rural FC
Republic	✔	✔	rare	★☆☆☆☆	Bad ratings; yard waste uncertain
Step Up	✔	✔	✘	★★★★☆	Best customer satisfaction
Mountain High	✔	✔	✔	★★★★☆	New, local, full-service
Dumpster Diverz	✔	✔	?	★★★☆☆	Need to confirm offering
Graham’s Sanitation	✔	Limited	✘	★★★☆☆	Hyper-local, bare-bones

⭐ COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATION FOR POHOA

Priority 1: Yard Waste MUST be preserved (environmental + homeowner demand).

Only Ram and Mountain High clearly offer a dedicated yard-waste cart in county areas.

Republic does NOT unless you negotiate a custom HOA contract (expensive, complicated).

Step Up = No yard waste, immediate deal-breaker unless they create a program.

Dumpster Diverz = unclear; need verification.

⭐ Recommended Top Two Providers for HOA-Wide Consideration

1. Mountain High Disposal — Best Candidate Overall

Why they’re ideal:

Offers trash + recycle + yard waste
Excellent early reputation
Local + responsive
Pricing likely competitive with Ram but with better customer experience
Newer company = more flexible for HOA-level negotiations

Risks:

New company → need confirmation of route stability, staffing, and equipment capacity.

2. Ram Waste Systems — Most Established Full-Service Option

Why they’re viable:

Stable, well-staffed, long-term operator in Northern Colorado
Full service including yard waste
Likely to offer HOA discounted bundled pricing
Strongest infrastructure of all haulers listed

Risks:

Poor consumer reviews
Corporate structure → not as flexible
Pricing may be higher than Mountain High or Step Up

⭐ Non-Recommendations

Step Up Disposals

Excellent reviews BUT no yard-waste program.
This alone disqualifies them unless the HOA wants to eliminate yard-waste pickup (your community clearly does not).

Republic

Widely documented service issues + yard-waste uncertainty.

WM

Pricey, inconsistent, often lowest satisfaction.

🎯 Final Recommended Path for POHOA

Step 1: Issue an RFP (Request for Proposals) to at least 3 vendors

Send to:

Mountain High Disposal
Ram Waste Systems
Dumpster Diverz (IF they offer weekly service)

Optional: Ask Step Up whether they can create a yard-waste program (they probably can’t).

Step 2: Require each vendor to quote:

Trash + Recycle + Yard-Waste bundle
Cost per unit at 87 homes
Cart sizes and swap fees
Holiday and storm policies
Missed pickup policies
Fuel surcharges / hidden fees
Yard-waste seasonal or year-round?
HOA billing vs individual billing

Step 3: Present all options to HOMEOWNERS for a vote

(Board cannot make this decision.)

Include:

Cost comparison
Environmental impact
Customer service ratings
Yard-waste preservation
Contract terms

Step 4: Allow homeowners to choose the service model

Current CCRs require a HOMEOWNER VOTE to shift to HOA-contracted trash.