Sahuarita council directs staff to negotiate townwide solid-waste contract with Waste Connections

The Town of Sahuarita received a detailed briefing from its public-works director and consultants on a proposed townwide solid-waste program and collection contract and gave staff direction to negotiate final terms with the evaluation committee's recommended vendor.

Burns & McDonnell consultants Jack Simmons and Scott Pasternak summarized the RFP and evaluation process, saying three national firms responded and that Waste Connections of Arizona emerged as the finalist for negotiations because its proposal offered the most competitive pricing and aligned closely with the town's scope. Pasternak presented two scenarios for cart ownership: one where the contractor provides carts and one where the town purchases them and amortizes the cost over a longer period.

Ty, division vice president for Waste Connections in Arizona, told the council, "I love garbage," underscoring the vendor's emphasis on operational experience and relationship-based service. Larry Williams, Waste Connections' sales director, described operational details: weekly trash and recycling collection, up to four bulky-item pickups per year (about 4 cubic yards per household), five town-event roll-off/ cart allowances per year, and a vacation-hold program that provides 1'0 to 90 days free with a $50 reactivation fee after 90 days.

Consultants said the town could see a stable monthly fee near the study's illustrative $24.50 per household if the council opts to have the town purchase carts and use enterprise-fund mechanisms to smooth costs. Burns & McDonnell outlined trade-offs: town purchase can reduce long-term rate pressure but requires upfront capital; contractor-owned carts shift capital recovery into the vendor's pricing.

Staff and the vendor answered council questions about customer service, missed pickups, bulk-collection scheduling by zones, holiday service shifts and enforcement. Williams said Waste Connections will provide dedicated, local customer-service agents and technology (vehicle cameras and GPS) to substantiate service and reduce disputes. Town legal counsel noted that state law allows municipalities to require a single residential vendor for properties up to four units; commercial and larger multi-family properties would remain on the open market.

Because a finalized contract was not ready, councilmembers provided clear direction for staff to conclude negotiations and return the contract for formal approval at the Dec. 9 meeting. If approved, the consultants recommended adoption of an accompanying ordinance and a July 1, 2025 commencement of service to allow time for cart procurement, communications and transition work.

What happens next: staff will negotiate contract details and return a proposed contract, ordinance language and final cost model to council on Dec. 9.