Des Plaines inks new deal for garbage service
Most Des Plaines residents will pay a penny less per month for garbage removal under the city's newly approved contract with a different hauler.
The city council on Monday agreed to an exclusive, seven-year deal with Lakeshore Recycling Systems of Morton Grove. It's effective March 1.
Des Plaines residents had been served for the past 14 years by Republic Services, which is headquartered in Arizona.
Homeowners and residents of some multifamily complexes will pay $17.70 per month under the deal with Lakeshore. It was the least expensive bid of the four the city received, documents indicate.
The rate will be discounted to $16.35 for senior citizens. That's slightly more costly than the current $16.29 per month rate seniors pay.
The city's latest seven-year contract with Republic was to expire March 31. But Republic officials reportedly wanted to be let out of the deal early because they were losing money on the agreement, said Timothy Oakley, the city's public works and engineering director.
"They were under water on the contract for a few years now," Oakley said.
Republic bid for the new contract, too, but its offer was about $5 more per month than its current rate of $17.70 per month, documents indicate.
The council unanimously approved the deal with Lakeshore after a lengthy discussion of the services it planned to offer and its history serving suburban communities. Officials from Wheaton, Skokie, Highland Park and other towns provided excellent references, Oakley said.
"I think it's a good choice," said 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman.
Curbside garbage collection at single-family homes will continue to occur once per week under the new deal. Residents simply will trade Republic garbage bins for Lakeshore bins.
Residents will continue to use 95-gallon bins for most garbage and 65-gallon bins for recycling, Oakley said.
Lakeshore will handle seasonal yard waste removal, too.
However, residents will be billed quarterly by Lakeshore rather than bimonthly by the city as part of a broader utility bill.