Centreville weighs rebidding trash contract as residents report missed pickups and missing reporting

Public Works staff briefed the Centreville Town Council Jan. 2 on the town’s curbside trash and recycling contract and asked whether the council wants to extend the current contract for a final year or put collection out to bid.

The director said the existing contract was originally three years with an option to renew for two additional years; the town is in the fourth year and would need to extend for the fifth by July if it wants to keep the current contractor for the final contract year. Staff reported recurring service issues, including missed streets and pickup errors, and said the contractor had not provided monthly recycling and landfill tonnage reports for about a year as required under the contract. The town also said quarterly outreach materials the contractor had been expected to submit for the town newsletter had ceased.

Public Works noted the current resident charge is $52.99 per quarter; staff compared that with county service areas that pay roughly $85–$90 per quarter and said the low price likely limits vendors and service levels. The director warned that if the town re‑bids the contract it could receive higher prices and risk losing the incumbent contractor if that vendor declines a new award. The council asked staff to develop options and report back; no formal vote was taken.

Councilors agreed to consider the tradeoff between cost and service quality, and to return to the issue at a future meeting during budget planning so any change in contractor cost can be incorporated into next year’s utility billing schedule.