County, vendor discuss renewal terms for recycling drop-box contract; supervisors agree to roll contract
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Summary
Representatives and the county discussed continuing the multi-site recycling drop-box contract (five active locations plus a spare), rental vs. purchase tradeoffs, fees and pickup frequency; vendor and supervisors agreed to roll the contract for five years and follow up on pickup sizes at the jail.
The Board of Supervisors on Aug. 5 heard an extended discussion about the county’s contract for recycling drop boxes, including rental-versus-purchase economics, service frequency and fuller sites in Bellevue.
A vendor or contract representative addressed the board and walked through rental costs, container lifespan and options to buy. The speaker reported current rental for five sites (plus a spare) totals about $372 per month, or roughly $4,400 annually for five units, and said purchasing containers costs about $10,000 per unit with an estimated 10-year lifespan. “So times 5 years. So we basically got $22,000 just in rentals,” the speaker said when comparing long-term costs.
The board and the speaker discussed operational details at specific locations. Bellevue’s drop box has been consistently full, the speaker said, and some users from town were using the county site; the city has added some smaller stations downtown, which may have affected volumes. The vendor and supervisors discussed reducing pickups at Preston from four to three per month but noted less frequent pickups can increase illegal dumping if boxes are full when residents arrive.
Jail trash service was raised as a separate operational matter; the speaker recommended moving to larger containers (4-yard or 8-yard) if current small containers fill before scheduled pickups or incite improper disposal. The board asked staff to check who manages the jail’s trash service and consider adjusting frequency or container size.
Outcome: The speaker indicated the vendor will renew the recycling contract for five years at current terms. Supervisors said they would circulate and finalize the written contract and check jail pickup arrangements and tank counts prior to finalizing paperwork.
Ending: County staff will prepare the written renewal and follow up on jail container sizing and pickup frequency; the board did not change service fees at the meeting.
