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Selectboard delays decision on new trash and recycling contract after hearing two bids
Summary
Kensington officials reviewed competing bids from Elm and Casella for solid waste and recycling service, heard a vendor proposal to centralize corrugated cardboard drop-off to save processing costs, and scheduled a follow-up meeting to complete due diligence before awarding a contract.
The Kensington Selectboard on Monday reviewed competing bids for the town’s solid-waste and recycling contract and agreed to delay a final award so members could study line-item pricing and disposal (tipping) fees.
Staff presented packet summaries showing current annual town spending on waste services—about $167,809 for solid waste and roughly $67,886 for recycling pickup, plus disposal/tipping fees that together push the town’s total waste-related cost to roughly $241,000. A vendor reading the proposals said one bidder — Elm — offered two pricing options: a higher-cost option with weekly recycling (year 1 about $165,000) and a lower-cost option with biweekly recycling (year 1 about $150,000). Another bidder, Casella, provided multiple line items rather than a single bundled price, which staff said required further review.
A vendor representative proposed removing corrugated cardboard from curbside pickup and placing dedicated town dumpsters for cardboard. “I think it netted out to about $10,000 in disposal savings,” he said, arguing the program reduces weight on the recycling stream and improves processing revenues. Board members and residents raised operational questions about dumpster placement, whether the fire station or town hall could host containers, and whether truck equipment would support automated pickups.
Town staff told the board that Waste Management did not provide a consolidated bid and that some disposal fees (tipping) may be billed separately; members stressed those fees must be clarified before a contract is awarded. The board agreed to hold a short follow-up meeting Thursday at 08:00 to allow members time to review spreadsheets, confirm municipal-building inclusions, and reconcile differences between the bidders’ proposals.
The board did not take a formal vote on a contract during the meeting; staff will circulate clarified numbers and contact information for bidders before the follow-up session.
