Roselle tries to erase garbage pickup confusion

Roselle staff members were taken by surprise this month when they received calls from several residents and business owners asking if their garbage pickup company is changing.

It is not; Roselle will continue to be served by Republic Services, formerly called Allied Waste.

Assistant Village Administrator Jason Bielawski said the confusion stemmed from a letter one waste hauler, Flood Brothers Disposal of Oakbrook Terrace, sent to everyone in Roselle. The company was among five that put in bids last December when the village board began comparing prices for garbage collection and recycling.

"By Feb. 8, we knew we wanted to move forward with Republic Services," Bielawski said. "But just on Monday, letters came out from Flood Brothers that basically stated the details of their proposal. It stated factually what their bid included and didn't compare it to anything else. But people were calling and thought this was some sort of mailer authorized by the village."

Flood Brothers officials could not be reached Wednesday.

The village currently is finalizing an agreement with Republic that will go into effect April 1. While the terms of the five-year pact will not be finalized by the village board until mid-March, officials said commercial rates will not increase during the term of the contract. In addition, eligible seniors will continue to receive a 50 percent discount on residential rates and yard waste stickers will remain at $2.25 in 2010.

Residential refuse and recycling rates still are being negotiated and will be finalized at a village board meeting.

Bielawski said he doesn't know why Flood Brothers sent out the letters.

"I did take it as misleading that every resident and business in Roselle received one," he said. "People were calling village hall and asking 'What does this mean?' As an average resident, I would think it is confusing."