Council refers Mega Disposal contract to finance subcommittee amid proposed biweekly recycling changes
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Summary
Council discussed a proposed extension with Mega Disposal for refuse and recycling services that would move recycling to biweekly pickup and introduce new cart capacities; the item was referred to the finance subcommittee for further review and negotiation.
Councilors received a presentation and vendor response about renewing or extending the town’s refuse, recycling and yard‑waste collection contract with Mega Disposal. Staff said the existing contract is approaching expiration and recommended the council consider an extension that would make recycling collection every other week while maintaining weekly refuse pickup; the recommendation would be subject to subcommittee vetting.
Mega Disposal representatives acknowledged past service disruptions tied to driver shortages and maintenance issues last year; the vendor described actions taken to fix the problems, including wage adjustments, hiring, and the acquisition of several new residential trucks. The company representative said they now have seven new residential trucks in the fleet and additional rear‑load trucks on order.
Councilors raised questions about cart sizes and weekly logistics: one proposal described 95 gallons of recycling capacity over a two‑week period (most households currently have 65‑gallon carts, and two‑week capacity can be expressed as 130 gallons under the present collection cadence). The council also asked whether town policy requires residents to present recycling for refuse pickup; staff said that practice may be unwritten and they will confirm.
Decision: rather than vote on a final contract, council referred the proposal to the finance subcommittee for detailed review and to obtain clearer cost and operational information before a final council vote.