Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council weighs permanent roll-off dumpsters and rising disposal contract costs
Summary
Council members and staff discussed buying permanent roll-off dumpsters for neighborhood bulk disposal and the ballooning costs from new accounts under the city's disposal contract; staff will negotiate with the private contractor and return options at the next meeting.
The Anniston City Council on April 21 discussed long-term options for bulk-waste disposal and how an influx of new accounts under the current disposal contract has increased city costs.
Staff described a proposal to purchase multiple permanent roll-off dumpsters to be placed discreetly across wards and noted steep upfront costs. "A 20 yard dumpster is about $4,600," a staff member said while outlining vendor pricing and the potential need for approximately 184 units if a broad rollout were adopted.
Council members and staff also discussed that since shifting to the current vendor, the city has seen nearly 2,000 additional accounts appear in billing records, increasing the city's financial obligation for trash and bulk pickup. Staff explained bid limitations: because the vendor bid a price assuming a fixed number of households, an opt-in/opt-out model at the contracted rate is not feasible without re-bidding or negotiating alternate terms.
The chair asked staff to open talks with the private disposal vendor (referred to in the transcript as '1 21' disposal) to explore flexible pricing and opt-in options for citizens and to return to the council with clarified cost estimates. No purchase authorization or contract amendment was approved at the April 21 meeting.
