Watonga City Council agreed Tuesday night to enter into a contract with Veteran Waste Solutions for garbage collection.
Until now, garbage collection had been a city chore. But as regulations changed and grew, so did the costs associated with running trash trucks, which now must be operated by a driver with a commercial license. The cost of diesel has skyrocketed. Trucks break down and repairs costs are rising. And shorthanded city crews are dealing with garbage and truck issues rather than working on the streets and alleys in town.
The bid requests went out in September and were due back by Nov. 9. Of the companies that took bid packets, one did not return the bid, another issued a ‘no bid’ meaning they had no interest in the job and VWS returned the packet completed and acceptable.
Owner John Todd said his company had been hired by 16 towns and all remain with the service. He also said he understands the angst that comes with change.
“We try really hard to hold our prices to be fair,” he told council. Todd said he knew his company could not match the service delivered by the town because, he said “You have the focus. But we are professionals, and we will try to minimize the change.”
Changes that are inevitable include each subscriber receiving a new poly cart -- at no cost to them. Todd said a staging area will be set up and all the carts – about 1,250 to begin and up to 1,400 when households with more than one cart are figured in – will be assembled, then delivered.
If a cart is damaged by the collectors or simply wears out, the company absorbs that cost. If a customer is negligent – say, dumps hot ashes into a cart and ruins it – then they are on the hook for replacement.
The company will have at least one truck in town every day. Todd also said that was one of the advantages of a company service rather than a municipal service. The company has a fleet of trucks so that if one breaks down, another runs the route for the day, and no one gets missed.
“I see that we do need to grow and get updated,” said council member Tina Willis. But she was concerned that the citizens might experience some issues.
“We are looking for a seamless transition,” said City Manager Karri Beth Little. “With no confusion to the customers.”
In the round, the bid was awarded to VWS and Little said a program to advise patrons about the upcoming changes will begin soon. Hopes are to have the transition completed by Feb. 1.