Portage gets bids for new trash service plan
By John Robbins Post-Tribune correspondent July 23, 2012 4:32PM
Updated: August 25, 2012 6:12AM
Hugs and handshakes were the order of business after the Portage Board of Works meeting on Monday as a clearly elated Mayor James Snyder liked what he heard when bid documents for garbage pick-up costs were opened.
Bids from Waste Management and Republic Services reflect substantial savings in costs for city garbage pick-up. Just how much the city will save remains to be determined but the look on Snyder’s face adds up to a lot.
“Today is a really exciting day,” said Snyder, as his plans for an overhaul of Portage garbage pick-up picks up steam. In what Snyder once referred to as “Flintstone methods” of pick-up, the city is on the threshold of 21st century garbage services as it moves towards a more automated system of pick-up. Snyder has pegged an overhaul in garbage services as a major cornerstone in his efforts to reduce the Portage budget.
Republic and Waste Management both will provide 21,000, 96-gallon garbage containers, called “toters” to the city; two, six-yard commercial containers; and three, 20-yard roll-off dumpsters for a minimum of five years.
Republic Services costs for disposal begin at $56.04 per ton in 2013 and increase to $61.86 per ton after 5 years. In an alternate bid geared towards a longer-term service contract, Republic offered a 10-year bid that starts at $46.91 per ton and increases to $58.58 per ton during the tenth year.
Waste Management cost per ton for the first year of a five-year contract is $48.56 and increases to $52.99 during the fifth year. For their 10-year proposal, cost per ton starts at $42.00 and in the 10th year rises to $52.82 per ton.
Under both proposals, city trucks will pick up and deliver the garbage to a transfer station operated by the winning bidder for ultimate disposal.
The bids were taken under advisement for review.
A special Board of Works meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., on Wednesday to award the contract to the winning bidder. The winning bidder will initiate services 90 days after award of contract.
