City officials await bids on new trash contract

City of Greencastle officials are bracing themselves for the results of bids on a new trash and recycling contract.

After going the past 15 years without a price increase from the $10 a month current provider Republic Services charges, city officials expect to incur an increase when bids are scheduled to be opened on Nov. 18.

“I’m nervous about those bids,” veteran Board of Works member Trudy Selvia admitted when the item came up at the board’s October meeting.

Action on the trash and recycling contract was tabled as a legal advertisement soliciting bids had only run in the Banner Graphic for the first time on Oct. 19.

“The expectation is there is probably going to be a price increase,” Mayor Bill Dory said, noting that the community has benefited for a number of years from a reasonable fee.

Meanwhile, in the face of dwindling markets for recyclables, how curbside recycling will be handled under a new contract “remains up in the air,” the mayor said, listing options vendors may select for city recycling efforts.

As advertised, the contract includes two options for recycling on an alternating week basis. Option 1 includes recycling for all customers. Option 2 includes a guaranteed price for those customers who wish to contract directly with the successful bidder for recycling services.

The city’s current contract with Republic runs through the end of November.

In other business at its recent October meeting, the Board of Works:

-- Approved the use of city-owned fire training facilities by the Area 30 Career Center firefighter training class. An agreement to be signed by the mayor holds the city harmless for any liability during use by Area 30 students. The class currently has nine students, Area 30 Director Lora Busch said, noting, “The kids love it.” Greencastle firefighter James Shaw and retired Indianapolis firefighter Joel Crawley, who resides in Greencastle, teach the class, which has a similar approach to the law enforcement class taught by Greencastle Police Capt. Charles Inman.

-- Approved the use of $90,000 in American Recovery Act funds for survey, design and construction of a sanitary sewer line on Toddson Drive, a long-awaited development for quite likely the last area within the City of Greencastle without access to sanitary sewer.

-- Approved an OCRA water grant agreement that awards the city $700,000 to improve the Albin Pond Road waterline, add a new generator at the water plant and install fire hydrants and valves at several in-city locations. The city will be responsible for $1.2 million in matching funds.

-- Approved a $225,312 engineering agreement with Curry & Associates for survey, design, contract administration and inspection of the water project. The contract will run through 2023.

-- Approved a $61,000 contract with Kristy Jerrell of Jerrell Consulting on the proposed city water project.

Board members Selvia and Dory were joined by Crag Tuggle, City Attorney Laurie Hardwick and Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar for a meeting that began with the presentation of the Life Saver Award to Police Capt. Inman for his off-duty efforts in helping save the life of the seven-month-old boy whose mother was killed in a motor vehicle accident. A separate story on that event ran previously.

The Board of Works will next meet in regular session at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17.