But official warns options for garbage, recycling may be limited
By Jason Arndt
Editor
City of Burlington officials began discussions about whether to remain with John’s Disposal, or seek another contractor, for trash and recyclables collection within the municipality and could decide as early as Nov. 5.
Peter Riggs, Director of Public Works, told the City Council at an Oct. 1 Committee of the Whole meeting the contract with John’s Disposal will expire at the end of 2019.
“That contract is set to expire at the end of this year and as such, we need to put out bids to renew that contract or seek a new provider for those services,” he said.
John’s Disposal has been contracted with the City of Burlington since 2014 when the Common Council awarded the bid to the Whitewater-based company for trash and recyclables from 2015-17.
Since then, the city extended its contract to cover both 2018 and 2019, with John’s Disposal maintaining weekly manual trash collection as well as bi-weekly automated recyclables collection.
Riggs, however, said the services will likely change because of industry adjustments.
“In preparing for the eventual RFP bids, and discussion with various providers, it became known to us that John’s, as much as the collection industry is moving away from manual collection,” Riggs said. “John’s has indicated that they are unlikely to bid on a manual contract.”
To offset the changes, and encourage contractors to bid on the contract, the city plans to solicit alternatives.
While weekly manual trash pickup with bi-weekly automated recycling collection will serve as the base bid, with a three-year term, Riggs outlined other options.
Other options include changes in recycling collection frequency for both automated and manual pickup.
To read the entire story see the Oct. 10 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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