Paynesville, Dec. 17 -- As Paynesville continues to expand and modernize, the city is grappling with a growing waste crisis that sees less than half of its daily solid waste collected, Mayor Robert S. Bestman II has disclosed.

In his 2025 year-end report delivered on December 15, Mayor Bestman said Paynesville generates an estimated 600 to 800 tons of municipal solid waste daily, yet only about 40 to 45 percent is formally collected. The remainder-estimated at more than 300 tons every day-is left uncollected, clogging streets, open spaces, and waterways.

The Mayor attributed the situation to budgetary limitations, inadequate waste management infrastructure, and insufficient personnel, challenges he said continue to undermine the city's ...