City of Anoka - 2026
"Round and Round... and Here They Come Again!
"Round and Round... and Here They Come Again!
January 11, 2026
The Star Tribune published an article on the Anoka City Council effort to yet again institute Government Managed Trash Collection. Link here.
While Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice estimates the city spent over $100,000 in an attempt to force this on the people in 2024, city hall admitted to the newspaper that they have no clue how much money they spent.
The only thing city hall could figure out is that they spent $35,500 in legal fees in 2024 because lawyers actually keep track of the time and money they spend on issues. City staff on the other hand spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on mailings, yet have little to no records of these expenditures.
Fun Fact: The city manager makes roughly $135/hr in salary and benefits. The Police Chief, Public Services Director, and Finance Director, all make roughly $105/hr in salary and benefits.
All four of these employees sit at meetings while the city council argues about trash collection, which adds up to $450/hr for just four employees. Adding the remaining employees sends that number to $1,000+/hr.
State law requires City Hall to publish salary data. See here.
While Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice estimates the city spent over $100,000 in an attempt to force this on the people in 2024, city hall admitted to the newspaper that they have no clue how much money they spent.
The only thing city hall could figure out is that they spent $35,500 in legal fees in 2024 because lawyers actually keep track of the time and money they spend on issues. City staff on the other hand spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on mailings, yet have little to no records of these expenditures.
Fun Fact: The city manager makes roughly $135/hr in salary and benefits. The Police Chief, Public Services Director, and Finance Director, all make roughly $105/hr in salary and benefits.
All four of these employees sit at meetings while the city council argues about trash collection, which adds up to $450/hr for just four employees. Adding the remaining employees sends that number to $1,000+/hr.
State law requires City Hall to publish salary data. See here.
January 5, 2026
On Monday, January 5, 2026, 6pm, the Anoka City Council met with solid waste haulers to discuss concerns that council members felt required them to try to bring Government Managed Trash Collection to the city. Citizens showed up in force. Standing room only. Some could not get into the council chambers and left out of frustration. At 7pm, the city council took public comment. Here is a summary of what transpired.
During the discussion with solid waste haulers, Mayor Erik Skogquist, Councilmember Sam Scott, and Councilmember Heather Rostad parroted the same concerns that were asked and answered in 2015, 2020, and yet again in 2024.
1. City Council claim: Garbage trucks are destroying the roads. FALSE.
Response: No city has ever reduced their public works budget, lowered taxes, or changed their pavement management plan by instituting Government Managed Trash Collection. There is no difference in road maintenance budgets between Anoka County cities with or without Government Managed Trash Collection. City engineers in Arden Hills, Shoreview, Roseville, and Bloomington have all rejected any talk of there being any savings by removing a few garbage trucks from the road every week. The greatest damage to roads is caused by UV light and heat in the summer and the freeze/thaw cycle of Minnesota winters.
2. City Council claim: The Anoka cemetery roads have lasted forever and the only difference is that garbage trucks do not drive in the cemetery. FALSE.
Response: Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice asked the city for all documentation on their cemetery roads. Their response is that they had nothing. Records only existed in the minds of past caretakers, and staff was unsure if any were still alive. The city would have more credibility if they would have just simply said that the cemetery roads were blessed.
3. City Council claim: MnDOT study states 1 garbage truck equals 1,279 vehicles. FALSE.
Response: As has been previously posted here, the city manager of New Hope debunked this claim years ago in a report he presented to their city council. MnDOT did not state this. Neither did Mankato State University. Neither did a professor who authored a road weight report. This urban myth originated from a report written by environmental lobbyists in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Their claim was copied by another environmental lobbying firm, then copied by MnDOT, and then falsely attributed to Mankato State University and the professor. The city manager of New Hope wrote in his report that he spoke with the professor and he had no idea who made up this claim.
4. City Council claim: The city council is responsible for assuring that all city licensed business only charge residents what they personally believe is a "fair price". FALSE.
Response: What exactly constitutes a "fair price"? Solid waste haulers offer customers a myriad of hauling services. Different sized containers. Disposal of additional waste. Document shredding. Can at door service. The list goes on and on. Every solid waste hauler also offers different customer service. Some focus on computer based account services while others focus on personal contact. A "fair price" is a component of what a customer believes is the "best value" for the service they are receiving. City surveys consistently rate solid waste service in the city as good or excellent, 95% of the time.
Response: What companies does the city license, and are they vigorously enforcing this standard upon ALL license holders? The short answer is No.
Mayor Skogquist, Councilmember Scott, and Councilmember Rostad are selling this claim that they are responsible for assuring that all city licensed businesses charge a "fair price". When they say "all" they only mean solid waste haulers.
Truth is that city hall licenses all types of services and businesses including liquor service at bars and restaurants, massage parlors, and tattoo shops. Is the city council concerned about you paying a "fair price" for a beer? No. A long island tea? No. A massage? No. How about a tattoo that says "I love my mom"? No.
The role of a city council licensing all of these business is to assure that they are following the law concerning liquor purchasing, taxes, no prostitution, and cleanliness. It is not the role of the city council to engage in price fixing between businesses that offer the same type of services. In fact, price collusion between businesses was outlawed by the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.
1. City Council claim: Garbage trucks are destroying the roads. FALSE.
Response: No city has ever reduced their public works budget, lowered taxes, or changed their pavement management plan by instituting Government Managed Trash Collection. There is no difference in road maintenance budgets between Anoka County cities with or without Government Managed Trash Collection. City engineers in Arden Hills, Shoreview, Roseville, and Bloomington have all rejected any talk of there being any savings by removing a few garbage trucks from the road every week. The greatest damage to roads is caused by UV light and heat in the summer and the freeze/thaw cycle of Minnesota winters.
2. City Council claim: The Anoka cemetery roads have lasted forever and the only difference is that garbage trucks do not drive in the cemetery. FALSE.
Response: Garbage Haulers for Citizen Choice asked the city for all documentation on their cemetery roads. Their response is that they had nothing. Records only existed in the minds of past caretakers, and staff was unsure if any were still alive. The city would have more credibility if they would have just simply said that the cemetery roads were blessed.
3. City Council claim: MnDOT study states 1 garbage truck equals 1,279 vehicles. FALSE.
Response: As has been previously posted here, the city manager of New Hope debunked this claim years ago in a report he presented to their city council. MnDOT did not state this. Neither did Mankato State University. Neither did a professor who authored a road weight report. This urban myth originated from a report written by environmental lobbyists in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Their claim was copied by another environmental lobbying firm, then copied by MnDOT, and then falsely attributed to Mankato State University and the professor. The city manager of New Hope wrote in his report that he spoke with the professor and he had no idea who made up this claim.
4. City Council claim: The city council is responsible for assuring that all city licensed business only charge residents what they personally believe is a "fair price". FALSE.
Response: What exactly constitutes a "fair price"? Solid waste haulers offer customers a myriad of hauling services. Different sized containers. Disposal of additional waste. Document shredding. Can at door service. The list goes on and on. Every solid waste hauler also offers different customer service. Some focus on computer based account services while others focus on personal contact. A "fair price" is a component of what a customer believes is the "best value" for the service they are receiving. City surveys consistently rate solid waste service in the city as good or excellent, 95% of the time.
Response: What companies does the city license, and are they vigorously enforcing this standard upon ALL license holders? The short answer is No.
Mayor Skogquist, Councilmember Scott, and Councilmember Rostad are selling this claim that they are responsible for assuring that all city licensed businesses charge a "fair price". When they say "all" they only mean solid waste haulers.
Truth is that city hall licenses all types of services and businesses including liquor service at bars and restaurants, massage parlors, and tattoo shops. Is the city council concerned about you paying a "fair price" for a beer? No. A long island tea? No. A massage? No. How about a tattoo that says "I love my mom"? No.
The role of a city council licensing all of these business is to assure that they are following the law concerning liquor purchasing, taxes, no prostitution, and cleanliness. It is not the role of the city council to engage in price fixing between businesses that offer the same type of services. In fact, price collusion between businesses was outlawed by the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.
At the 7pm meeting, public comment was taken and city council members took a vote on whether to continue moving forward with repeating 2024 and trying yet again to institute Government Managed Trash Collection.
The most thoughtful comments from the public revolved around the belief that this issue was voted on in August and again in November 2024 and that NO vote should be honored at least in the short term. It was a fairly universal belief that the city council was completely out of touch with the people and it was dishonest to try to push through Government Managed Trash Collection 13 months after the voters said NO at the ballot box.
The most honest statement made the entire evening was from Councilmember Brent Campbell. He stated that he voted YES in August to enshrine in the city charter the people's right to vote on this issue. Then he said that he personally supported a single hauler for the city and voted YES in November, but noted that the majority of Anoka residents voted NO, opposing Government Managed Trash Collection.
Councilmember Campbell then proceeded to tell the council that he made a promise at the League of Women Voters forum that he would respect the vote of the people. The people voted NO, they did not support Government Managed Trash Collection, so he would support that decision and also vote NO.
Many will recall Councilmember Jeff Weaver making a similar statement in 2024, when he said he opposed Government Managed Trash Collection, but he would respect the vote of the people and vote accordingly.
When the vote was called, Mayor Erik Skogquist, Councilmember Sam Scott, and Councilmember Heather Rostad voted YES to move forward to institute Government Managed Trash Collection, and Campbell and Weaver voted NO. On a 3-2 vote, the city will spend another $100,000 attempting to force Government Managed Trash Collection upon the people of Anoka.
At present, neither the city council nor city staff have scheduled any additional meetings to push this issue forward and back on the ballot in November 2026.
The most thoughtful comments from the public revolved around the belief that this issue was voted on in August and again in November 2024 and that NO vote should be honored at least in the short term. It was a fairly universal belief that the city council was completely out of touch with the people and it was dishonest to try to push through Government Managed Trash Collection 13 months after the voters said NO at the ballot box.
The most honest statement made the entire evening was from Councilmember Brent Campbell. He stated that he voted YES in August to enshrine in the city charter the people's right to vote on this issue. Then he said that he personally supported a single hauler for the city and voted YES in November, but noted that the majority of Anoka residents voted NO, opposing Government Managed Trash Collection.
Councilmember Campbell then proceeded to tell the council that he made a promise at the League of Women Voters forum that he would respect the vote of the people. The people voted NO, they did not support Government Managed Trash Collection, so he would support that decision and also vote NO.
Many will recall Councilmember Jeff Weaver making a similar statement in 2024, when he said he opposed Government Managed Trash Collection, but he would respect the vote of the people and vote accordingly.
When the vote was called, Mayor Erik Skogquist, Councilmember Sam Scott, and Councilmember Heather Rostad voted YES to move forward to institute Government Managed Trash Collection, and Campbell and Weaver voted NO. On a 3-2 vote, the city will spend another $100,000 attempting to force Government Managed Trash Collection upon the people of Anoka.
At present, neither the city council nor city staff have scheduled any additional meetings to push this issue forward and back on the ballot in November 2026.
2025 - Early December
With no prior notice to the public, Anoka Mayor Erik Skogquist called a special city council meeting to restart the long and expensive process to institute Government Managed Trash Collection in the city. A scheme to kick out trusted solid waste haulers in the city and replace them with a city-owned or city-picked hauler from who knows where.
When we say "from who knows where", we are not joking. In 2024, one of the bidders Anoka was entertaining came from Chicago and had never worked residential trash hauling in the city, or anywhere the Twin Cities as a matter of fact.
If you think importing a company from Europe is unheard of, just look to St. Paul. They recently hired a company from Spain that residents had never heard, to run a Government Trash Collection Program which has been a continuous disaster and costly. St. Paul's new trash hauler even led to the city council canceling a proposed residential housing project in order for the new hauler to have a piece of land to park their garbage trucks on, infuriating neighbors.
Yes, make no mistake, this new effort is a repeat of the same scheme that voters rejected twice, after the Anoka city council spent more than $100,000 of your taxpayer dollars attempting to ram it through.
On Monday, December 15th, the city council voted 4-1 to spend more staff time and more of your money to move this forward to a planned November 2026 vote. (Note: Councilmember Jeff Weaver was the only NO vote.)
When we say "from who knows where", we are not joking. In 2024, one of the bidders Anoka was entertaining came from Chicago and had never worked residential trash hauling in the city, or anywhere the Twin Cities as a matter of fact.
If you think importing a company from Europe is unheard of, just look to St. Paul. They recently hired a company from Spain that residents had never heard, to run a Government Trash Collection Program which has been a continuous disaster and costly. St. Paul's new trash hauler even led to the city council canceling a proposed residential housing project in order for the new hauler to have a piece of land to park their garbage trucks on, infuriating neighbors.
Yes, make no mistake, this new effort is a repeat of the same scheme that voters rejected twice, after the Anoka city council spent more than $100,000 of your taxpayer dollars attempting to ram it through.
On Monday, December 15th, the city council voted 4-1 to spend more staff time and more of your money to move this forward to a planned November 2026 vote. (Note: Councilmember Jeff Weaver was the only NO vote.)
So what has changed?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
The city readily admitted that nothing has changed since the voters rejected their trash scheme in November 2024. Solid waste trucks are still the safest vehicles on the road, customer service is excellent, and Minnesota winters continue to be the primary cause of road damage.
At a city council meeting in December 2025, the police chief was asked about any safety problems with trash haulers. The chief answered that he knew of none. When the haulers were asked the same question, they responded that the dangerous part of their job is not driving through residential neighborhoods, but rather the daily work carried out at processing plants.
The city readily admitted that nothing has changed since the voters rejected their trash scheme in November 2024. Solid waste trucks are still the safest vehicles on the road, customer service is excellent, and Minnesota winters continue to be the primary cause of road damage.
At a city council meeting in December 2025, the police chief was asked about any safety problems with trash haulers. The chief answered that he knew of none. When the haulers were asked the same question, they responded that the dangerous part of their job is not driving through residential neighborhoods, but rather the daily work carried out at processing plants.
Why spend another $100,000?
The thinking, as Councilmember Sam Scott put it, is if the city council keeps putting this on the ballot over and over again, they could get lucky and it might pass.
Then shockingly, another reason cited was Mayor Erik Skogquist's brother Bjorn, having collected 61 signatures on an online petition in support of Government Managed Trash Collection, out of a city population of 18,000.
Then shockingly, another reason cited was Mayor Erik Skogquist's brother Bjorn, having collected 61 signatures on an online petition in support of Government Managed Trash Collection, out of a city population of 18,000.
Council ignores Charter Amendment:
In August 2024, Anoka voters amended the city charter, requiring voter approval before the city council tries to take way your right to choose your own hauler. 74% voted YES.
Now the city council claims that they can spend your tax dollars and staff time, plus force haulers to give them a price-fixing monopoly agreement, BEFORE calling a public vote.
Now the city council claims that they can spend your tax dollars and staff time, plus force haulers to give them a price-fixing monopoly agreement, BEFORE calling a public vote.
What can the general public do to speak out and stop this insanity?
First, attend the public meeting on Monday, January 5th, 2026. Starting at 6:00 pm, the city council and solid waste haulers will debate the issue. At 7:00 pm, the city council will take public comment.
Second, call your city council members and share your thoughts. Erik Skogquist, Sam Scott, Heather Rostad, and Brent Campbell voted YES to move this forward. Jeff Weaver voted NO.
Third, email city manager Greg Lee your thoughts. He will forward your email to all city council members.
Mayor Erik Skogquist
(763) 576-9219
Councilmember Brent Campbell
(763) 486-8430
Councilmember Heather Rostad
(612) 849-0202
Councilmember Sam Scott
(612) 695-5896
Councilmember Jeff Weaver
(763) 421-5522
City Manager Greg Lee
[email protected]
Second, call your city council members and share your thoughts. Erik Skogquist, Sam Scott, Heather Rostad, and Brent Campbell voted YES to move this forward. Jeff Weaver voted NO.
Third, email city manager Greg Lee your thoughts. He will forward your email to all city council members.
Mayor Erik Skogquist
(763) 576-9219
Councilmember Brent Campbell
(763) 486-8430
Councilmember Heather Rostad
(612) 849-0202
Councilmember Sam Scott
(612) 695-5896
Councilmember Jeff Weaver
(763) 421-5522
City Manager Greg Lee
[email protected]
Informational mailer #1
(Introduction, Cost, Charter Amendment)
(Click here for PDF file of all Anoka mailers)
(Introduction, Cost, Charter Amendment)
(Click here for PDF file of all Anoka mailers)
Updated 1/15/26