Springfield to consider new yard waste contract despite recent frustration from residents
Steven SpearieWithout discussion, the Springfield committee of the whole Wednesday moved an ordinance authorizing a contract for for bi-weekly yard waste pickup.
The contract, which goes to the consent agenda at Tuesday's city council, is for five months and isn't expected to exceed $485,120.
If approved, the contract would begin immediately.
The new potential contract comes weeks after residents and alderpersons expressed frustration with Republic Services leaving trash or yard waste out for an extended period of time or simply not collecting it at all in some cases.
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City attorney Gregory Moredock said the city negotiated with Waste Management and .
Republic's three-year contract ends March 31. The contract provided for two one-year extensions, Moredock said, if mutually agreed to by the parties.
That one-year contract, previously before the city council, was held in committee Wednesday after residents and council members voiced their frustration.
A price increase for Republic prompted the parties to discuss a shorter-term contract, he added.
"With the service stopping at the end of March, we needed to get something in place to allow us to put forth that (request for proposal)," Moredock said.
Potentially, there could be a two-day gap with the end Republic's service and the beginning of Waste Management's, but the city is talking to Public Works "to make sure our citizens are not without that yard waste service."
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Moredock said the city anticipates going out for RFP before August and having a new long-term contract, perhaps one to three years, in place by September.
Republic Services representatives at Wednesday's meeting didn't offer comment to The State Journal-Register.
Republic Services is still in the residential trash business, picking up for Waste Management when it got out of the residential business. Republic remains in the commercial trash business.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.