Committee recommends 7-year refuse, recycling contract with Harter’s to finance

The Wausau Public Health and Safety Committee voted Sept. 15 to recommend that the finance committee develop a seven-year refuse and recycling contract with Harter’s, after staff said Harter’s submitted the low bid in a competitive RFP process. Why it matters: the city’s current automated collection contract expires March 31, 2026; staff said the new proposals show a materially higher per-household cost and will affect the city’s budget planning for 2026 and beyond. Mary Ann, a city staff member who led the procurement presentation, said the city received two bids — from Waste Management and Harter’s — after GFL declined to bid. She said Harter’s proposed a combined household charge of $11.50 per month (listed as $7.65 for refuse and $3.85 for recycling). By contrast, the expiring contract carries an $8.29 per-household charge, and the current annual contract cost is about $1,400,000, Mary Ann said. She added that when the city first adopted the automated, carted collection system in 2015 it paid about $1.8 million a year; the automated system ultimately reduced costs in the prior contract cycle. Committee members discussed whether to recommend a seven- or 10-year contract. Mary Ann said contractors had not offered material incentives for a 10-year commitment and described the city’s operational rationale for letting the contract run through March 31 to avoid switching vendors during the winter holiday season when cart delivery and startup can be disruptive. Committee member Watson moved to recommend a seven-year contract with Harter’s for development by finance; Lukens seconded the motion. The committee recorded the motion as passing unanimously. Discussion details and next steps: Mary Ann told the committee the proposals assumed no change in service levels. She also flagged contract provisions that could affect future adjustments (CPI and fuel-price adjustment for Harter’s; Waste Management’s pricing tied partly to landfill increases). Committee members raised policy options for how refuse charges are collected (remaining on the levy versus converting to a per-household charge) and asked finance to weigh the merits in budget deliberations. Mary Ann noted state law on levy limits would govern whether refuse can be removed from the levy and replaced with a user charge. The committee’s recommendation is advisory to the finance committee and not a final contract award; finance will incorporate the recommendation into the 2026 budget process and the city will return with contract development details and final terms.