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TOLEDO -- Toledo Mayor Mike Bell and Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken paved the way Tuesday for changes to garbage collection in Toledo.  

They  signed a regional service sharing agreement to provide refuse and recycling services to the city of Toledo through the Lucas County Solid Waste Management District. The County will contract with Republic Services, formerly Allied Waste, to provide collection services.

You will begin seeing Republic Services trucks collecting trash next week but the company will not fully takeover until September 1, 2011. Your monthly fees will go up to $8.85, up 45 cents.  It will be $5 for homeowners qualifying for the Homestead Exemption.

Residents can expect few changes to their service. One big change will be the elimination of the LEAP Forward program. Independence Day was the final LEAP Forward holiday to be observed. Future collection will be delayed one day with Saturday collection in weeks when a major holiday is observed. As the transition occurs a list of the six major holidays observed will be available on the city of Toledo website.

Also residents will no longer be faced with extra fees if they choose not to recycle.  Instead Republic Services will implement a rewards program.   My Republic Rewards will reward citizens who recycle with points that can be redeemed for coupons and vouchers to local merchants and restaurants.   It will begin registering residents for participation in the program this summer.

The city of Toledo expects to save $2.8 million in 2011 and up to $6 million annually beginning in 2012.

Read all changes taking place with new service from Republic 

Do you expect to see big changes when Republic Services takes over?  Do you think this is a good business move on the city's part?  Post your comments below.