Doug Price lives up to his surname as he seeks a lower monthly bill for trash services at the condominiums on the south side of Delaware.

The property manager, now going on five years, of Olentangy View Condominiums, 1241 Rivercrest Drive, said it was looking to find ways to save money. About 60 percent of tenants who live at the 62-unit complex are older and live on a fixed income, he said.

Olentangy View decided to look at prices from the private sector for their weekly refuse collection. Price said his condos have 10 dumpsters and now pay nearly $144 per dumpster each month to the city of Delaware for its services. The property manager found a private contractor, whose services would be a total of $850 a month.

But Price said he found out from the city that Olentangy View could not opt out of its refuse services because it’s classified as residential. Per the request of the city in September, Price said he found other reputable contractors that offered comparable prices ranging from $74 to $85 a dumpster.

“I’m not dissatisfied with the city’s service,” Price told City Council at its regular meeting Monday.

Price said he wanted multi-family dwellings, such as his condos, to be permitted to buy refuse services from the private sector or have the city align their prices with the market.

City Manager Tom Homan said that allowing residential units to opt out would pass on the legacy costs for the landfill to other customers.

He added that it’s “a different matter now” of classifying apartments and condos as commercial property. Council member Lisa Keller brought up the idea of a landfill surcharge.

Council sent the issue to be handled by the finance committee at its meeting in September.