The Salem Town Board on Monday approved town staff negotiating a 5-year garbage and recycling collection contract with John’s Disposal of Whitewater.
The town had solicited and received three bids, said Patrick Casey, town administrator. A bid from Waste Management did not receive further consideration because it was much higher than the others.
The board Monday settled on a bid from John’s that would equal $160 per household for every week garbage and recyclables collection. The John’s bid also included at no extra cost portable toilets for parks and special events, an annual paper shredding event, an annual electronics recycling event. Annual cost is $773,285.
Veolia, the town’s current waste hauler, did not submit a bid on a program with every week recycling. Their bid for every week garbage collection with bi-weekly garbage collection was $151 per household, including charges for the portable toilets and shredding and e-recycling events and a rebate to the town of $5,385 for recycling material.
John’s bid with bi-weekly recycling was $153 per household. Board members seemed to favor going to weekly recycling collection given the cost difference between the two John’s bids.
“I’d rather have it every week for only $7 a year,” said Chairman Diann Tesar.
If the town is able to reach agreement on a contract with John’s, residents will be receiving at no cost new trash and recycling carts to replace their current garbage/recycling containers.
