The council voted to award the bid for garbage collection to Waste Management, Inc. The bid the council chose was the “basic” proposal, which leaves out curbside recycling service. Potential for curbside recycling had been discussed at the previous council meeting.
Mayor William Isley said the bid price will allow the city to avoid a rate increase for three years.
“We’re at $13.27 per household right now,” Isley said. “The low bidder will lower that to around $10. When we add the admin fee for collection cost – like most small towns, that’s either $1 or $2 to each water bill – adding that to the low bid, that total would be $0.75 less than the current rate. So we wouldn’t have to go up on rates, and could potentially go down on rates.”
Isley said the basic proposal will allow the city to continue to provide recycling for citizens, just not individually.
“They are willing to provide the same recycling program we have now,” he said. “We have about 20 percent participation in that program.
“It was just something we decided on so we wouldn’t have to go up on our rates.
Isley and councilman Brian Skinner abstained from the vote. At the previous meeting, Skinner had argued in favor of curbside recycling service.
On Tuesday, Skinner said he was willing to pay more for the service.
“I think it was only going to be $2 more, and that was if they did it every week,” Skinner said. “For once a month, it was more like $1 more. I’m all about loading up recyclables, but it’s such a hassle.”
Skinner said he felt the city took a step back by not approving the proposal.
“I think it’s a generational thing,” he said. “Eventually it will come to that, but I guess we’re just not that sophisticated yet.”
Skinner said late Tuesday that he intended the comment to be in jest.
The contract is not yet officially approved. City attorney James Hill will bring the contract with him to the next council meeting on June 21.
In other business, the council:
• Approved an ordinance adopting new building codes for the city.
• Approved the budget report for April 2012.
• Approved the minutes of the May 24 regular meeting.
Contact Will Heath at wheath@thestclairtimes.com.
