Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fort Atkinson awards five-year garbage and recycling contract to John's Disposal at current service level
Summary
After soliciting proposals, the city authorized a five-year contract with John's Disposal to provide curbside garbage and alternating-week recycling at a per-customer price of $231 in year one and a 3.5% annual increase thereafter; council approved the recommendation Aug. 5.
The Fort Atkinson City Council authorized the city manager Aug. 5 to execute a five-year contract with John's Disposal Services to provide residential solid waste and recycling collection starting in 2026 at the city’s current service level. Staff recommended the contract after issuing a request for proposals to four firms and receiving proposals from two vendors.
Manager Hausman told the council the RFP requested a base bid for fully automated curbside weekly garbage collection and every-other-week single-stream recycling, with bulk items provided per call at a predetermined price billed directly to residents. Staff received proposals from John’s Disposal and Waste Management; GFL, the current contractor, did not submit a proposal.
Staff’s recommended option (the RFP alternate 2) maintains the city’s current level of service — weekly garbage, every-other-week recycling and one bulky item per month — at a proposed per-customer cost of $231 for year one, with a 3.5% annual increase thereafter. The recommendation included an estimated first-year total contract cost of $914,529.
Manager Hausman summarized cost comparisons in the packet: year-one per-unit base bids were similar (John’s Disposal about $16.70 per unit per month, Waste Management about $16.60), but Waste Management’s proposal used CPI-based adjustments that would have produced higher per-unit increases over the contract term. John’s alternate bids included options for weekly recycling and bulk-item service; Waste Management did not submit alternate bids.
The John’s Disposal proposal set a $25 fee for individually scheduled bulky-item pickups and specified limits on certain items (for example, up to eight small-vehicle tires per home per year). Household electronics and most bulky household items (furniture, appliances, carpeting) are listed in the proposal’s bulk-item definitions.
Councilmembers who spoke thanked staff for the procurement work; the council moved to authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute the contract with John’s Disposal on the recommended terms. The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
Staff noted an alternative — shifting collection costs to a special charge on property tax bills — was available but not on the Aug. 5 agenda. Manager Hausman told the council the city considered operating a municipal collection program but rejected that option because of high capital and staffing costs required to run a collection service directly.
The contract will take effect Jan. 1, 2026, and staff will work with John’s Disposal on implementation details including resident notices, cart distribution, and scheduling for scheduled bulky-item pickups.
