HOPE — Town officials are considering proposals from three trash disposal services to provide city-wide pickup for residents.
But town council members said Tuesday they are in no hurry to make a decision about which proposal to choose for Hope’s 2,100 residents, town council President Clyde Compton said.
A decision could come by the end of the summer, council members said.
“We just want to get these proposals out to the public, and let them chew on it a little bit — just so they’ll know what is a possibility,” Compton said. The council’s goal is to choose the most responsive proposal that best serves the community’s needs for the lowest price, he said.
The need for city trash pickup in Hope resulted from an influx of raccoons, opossums and skunks being attracted to unattended garbage in town, Compton said.
There will likely be a 60- to 90-day delay after choosing a company to allow for transition time for the new service, said Hope Town Manager J.T. Doane. Many residents who have contracted for private trash pickup are now paying about $18 to $22 a month, Doane said.
Each of the three proposals being considered by the council provides different levels of services, including differences in recycling and large-item pickup.
Proposals include:
CGS Services Inc. is offering to charge each resident $7.55 a month for the first year to pick up garbage from one tote, as well as haul away one bulk item. Although the five-year proposal from the Morristown-based company does include annual rate increases, the CGS offer states the amount will not exceed $8.33 in the fifth year.
Rumpke Waste Inc. of Columbus has offered a full-service option that would provide two totes, with an option for recycling and a weekly bulk item, for $15 a month for five years. Rumpke reserved the right to increase the fee by 3 percent annually, beginning with the second year of a proposed five-year contract.
Best Way Disposal of Greensburg is offering a three-year agreement, beginning with a $9.31 monthly charge the first year that would rise to a maximum of $9.86 the final year. In exchange, Hope residents would get one tote and up to eight large item hauls annually.
Although all three proposals would save money for those with private trash pickup, about 44 percent of all Hope residents currently don’t pay any fees because they choose to dispose of their own refuse, Doane said.
A show of hands indicated the majority who attended a March 21 public hearing about trash pickup didn’t have private trash service.
At the public hearing, some town residents said they worried that the town would add administrative fees that would raise their cost for trash pickup higher than what they are paying now.
Doane said the town would limit any administrative fees to between $1 and $1.50 a month for town customers.
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Hope Town Council members are seeking feedback from town residents about three proposals for town trash pickup. A decision is expected by the end of this summer.
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