Batavia postpones trash contract decision to see proposals for Geneva
The Batavia City Council is waiting to decide what to do about a contract for residential trash pickup until officials see what kind of proposals neighboring Geneva gets.
And they are now formally asking, via a new request for proposals, if any company would offer a volume-based sticker program, where people can continue to buy stickers (currently $3.28) and place them on a 32-gallon trash can.
Geneva has requested proposals for continuing a sticker system. Proposals are due May 1.
"Why not explore it? Why not turn every rock?" Batavia Alderman Tony Malay said.
"We want to be making sure one of the neighbors isn't getting something we're not getting," Mayor Jeff Schielke said.
Alderman Jennifer Baerren said, however, that residents bought 18% fewer stickers last year, and that toter rental increased. "So our residents have moved to a toter program," she said.
A representative from Lakeshore Recycling Services - one of the bidders - said the company needs a signed contract in hand by May 15, or it might drop out, because the company needs time to contact residents to see what size toter they would want, order the toters and deliver them by July 1, when the current contract ends. Aldermen said Monday they would have a special council meeting May 9 to vote.
Batavia didn't ask for a sticker program when it requested proposals several months ago; instead, it asked for a pay-per-tip option, in addition to monthly toter rentals. None of the three companies that submitted proposals - Groot, Waste Management and LRS - offered pay-per-tip. LRS has a pay-per-tip contract in Wheaton, but said Batavia isn't big enough to make it cost-effective.
In Wheaton, people also pay per tip for picking up recyclables. Currently in Batavia and Geneva, recyclables are picked up for "free," although that cost is really built in to the overall contract.
Monday night, representatives of those companies reiterated, for the third time, that they won't offer a sticker program. The representatives also declined, again, to say whether they are seeking the Geneva contract.
Some Batavia residents have criticized going to toters, because they only throw out one or two cans of trash a month. Two cans a month costs them $78.72 a year. Under the cheapest proposal, with recycling being picked up every other week, the bill for that household would be $210 come July 1. But people who are already renting toters would see a drop in cost.
All three companies would have a discount for people over the age of 65.
Batavia and Geneva's garbage contracts expire June 30. The new contracts would be for five years. The contracts do not cover commercial garbage pickup, such as Dumpsters at businesses and apartment complexes.