Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wausau committee votes to seek bids for residential solid-waste and recycling service
Summary
The Public Health and Safety Committee directed staff to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the city’s residential refuse and recycling contract, asking for proposals that include the hauler-owned cart option and yard-waste/Christmas-tree pickup; staff will refine terms and may bring results to a special meeting or the finance committee.
The Wausau Public Health and Safety Committee voted to issue a request for proposals for the city’s residential solid-waste and recycling contract after staff described contract history and the options available for renewal.
Finance Director Mary Anne (last name not specified) told the committee that the current contract with Harter’s Fox Valley Disposal includes hauler-owned carts and that buying city-owned carts in 2016 would have cost roughly $1.8 million. The 10-year contract awarded previously amortized carts through the hauler; those carts remain owned by Harter’s, which gives that company a practical advantage if the city chooses to negotiate an extension rather than rebid.
Staff outlined options including a 5-, 7- or 10-year term with hauler-owned carts, and said the previous contract used an annual 2% increase. Harter’s indicated staff they would rather compete in an open bidding process than accept a multi-year extension. A majority of committee members said competition would increase transparency and give the city a clearer picture of market pricing; others urged caution about potential service disruption.
Committee members asked staff to include these elements in the RFP: the hauler-owned cart option, yard‑waste and Christmas‑tree curbside pickup, pickup for city facilities, and natural‑gas vehicle requirements for the collection fleet (the current contract requires natural gas trucks). The committee approved issuing an RFP and asked staff to refine the parameters; members agreed staff should return with results and that a special meeting or joint session with the Finance Committee could be scheduled to review proposals before any contract award.
Committee members also clarified timing: staff said the previous renewal date was moved to March 31 to avoid winter delivery problems. The committee removed a strict March deadline from its motion so staff will not be constrained to an abbreviated bidding window; members said staff should make a best effort to publish the RFP in time for council consideration if practicable but have flexibility to allow a complete procurement process.
The motion passed with no members recorded as opposed. Staff will finalize RFP language and publish the solicitation; Harter’s indicated they intend to submit a competitive response if the RFP is released.
