Buffalo Grove holds off decision on garbage collection

Buffalo Grove’s waste hauling contract with Waste Management is up for renewal next month, and it looked like the village would extend its agreement this week.

But the village board instead delayed a vote because of concerns about the bid of rival trash collector Republic Services.

Village trustees opted Monday to defer negotiations on a new five-year deal with Waste Management, an agreement that would contain an option for up to five one-year extensions, until officials revisit the issue of what the three finalists — Waste Management, Republic and Veolia ES — are offering for once-per-week recycling pickup.

Republic’s Richard Bulthuis told the board this week that the village’s financial analysis comparing his company’s proposal with Waste Management’s did not provide a level playing field. It was Republic’s understanding, he said, that it was supposed to provide pricing for two recycling pickups per week, double what is currently being provided.

On the other hand, Waste Management, he said, was being evaluated under the current level of once-a-week service.

“We are being penalized for responding to exactly what the village requested relative to additional weekly pickups,” he said.

All three finalists were very close, Village Manager Dane Bragg said. Waste Management’s proposal calls for the hauler to collect more than $9 million over the five years of the contract through direct billing to residents.

Bragg made it clear Monday that in revisiting the recycling pickup issue the village will not allow bidders to modify other aspects of the pricing structure.

“I’m very much concerned about this turning into somewhat of a refuse circus, where all of a sudden we have 17 new proposals to go through and we’re back to square one in trying to equalize and normalize them,” he said.

Trustee Michael Terson voted against delaying the decision, saying that giving bidders the opportunity to resubmit would create the exact same problem of an uneven playing field.

Others, however, saw benefits in a second round of bidding.

“There is a reason we pick two or three vendors to see if we can get the best and lowest price,” Trustee Lester Ottenheimer said. “So let’s have a little bit more competition and with the limitations see if we can save some money.”

Village President Jeffrey Braiman said the village’s main concern is providing residents with the best service for the lowest price.