New city trash/recycling rates set

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Greencastle trash and recycling customers will be paying more money for the curbside service.

The Board of Works Wednesday afternoon accepted the bid from current provider Republic Services on a new four-year contract that will commence with utility bills due April 10.

While Republic’s fee of $10 per month has been in effect since 2004, its rates will go to $16.50 per month next year, $16.83 in year two, $17.17 in year three and $17.51 in the contract’s fourth and final year.

Mayor Bill Dory made the motion to “go with refuse and recycling, basically continuing services as we have.”

In awarding the contract to Republic Services, City Attorney Laurie Hardwick noted that the city received only two bids on the weekly trash and biweekly curbside recycling package.

The only other bidder failed to provide required documentation and had to be disqualified. Two other potential bidders took out bid packets and attended the bid opening but did not submit a proposal.

Republic offered a second option of trash collection only, with no recycling. It would have been $13 a month the first year, followed by $13.26, $13.52 and $13.77. Under that same bid option, adding recycling would have cost $6 a month the first year, followed by $6.12, $6.24 and $6.37.

As part of the new contract, Mayor Dory said Republic will continue to provide a facility open to accept additional recycling items.

City officials have been pleased that the increases were kept lower than expected. Part of the reason, the mayor said, could be that “recycling markets have begun to recover.”

For a number of years there have been few markets for recycling goods with almost no outlets of the reuse of glass and paper products.

Councilor Stacie Langdon, in the audience for the meeting, said city residents have been lucky to have paid $10 a month for the past 20 years to have their trash and recyclables hauled away.

She said that hopefully with what is basically a $6.50-a-month increase, “people will be encouraged to recycle.”

Before the new rates take effect, an interim rate was approved by the City Council last week on first reading of Ordinance 2021-16. With the old Republic Services contract expiring at a the end of November, an interim rate of $15 a month for combined trash and recycling services will be in effect for December, January, February and March billing as time for the new Republic rates to be legally advertised takes effect.

In other business, the Board of Works:

-- Approved the receipt of two grants by the Greencastle Fire Department for repairs and equipment at its training site. A grant for $4,500 for repairs to the building, especially the foundation, was noted by Fire Chief John Burgess. A $2,500 grant will go toward equipment.

Area 30 students are also benefiting from the training site, it was noted. Mayor Dory suggested that long term, that might mean additional candidates for firefighter openings within the city department, as well as volunteer firefighters for the city and numerous county departments.

-- Heard Mayor Dory report that the 2021 sidewalk project awarded to Spiker Excavating will be extended until June 30 of next year.

-- Approved emergency repairs -- “all pretty basic,” according to Water Department spokesman Ed Phillips -- for issues at 541 N. U.S. 231, Kentwood Drive and 1283 Kersey Lane. These are emergency repair issues for which it is considered too lengthy to go through the normal bid process for outside work.

Mayor Dory and board member Trudy Selvia were in attendance along with Hardwick and City Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar. Board member Craig Tuggle was absent.

The board will next meet in regular session at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19 at City Hall.