By Jim Bloch
The city of St. Clair has renewed for one year its contract with Waste Management for curbside trash, recycling and yard waste pickup. There will be no cost increase.
The price tag is $433,000 for the year.
The city council voted to approve the contract renewal at its regular meeting Sept. 18.
City Superintendent Quentin Bishop said he had lengthy conversations with representatives of Waste Management.
“Two things are occurring simultaneously,” said Bishop, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on YouTube. “The first is that we would extend or renew (the contract) for one more year at the same extract price, no cost escalations, no change in the contract. Literally it’s the change of the dates on the contract. Next year, I think we have to have a more in depth and detailed conversation. I’ve requested that we meet as early as April to discuss what Waste Management does for the city.”
The company appears to be on the verge of changing how it collects waste.
“It’s my understanding that they’re re-outfitting their trucks,” Bishop said. “They’re moving to more of a cart-loader system as opposed to a manual two or three person job. Carts would then have to be provided to residents. What does that mean for the city? I really don’t want to get to the point in the fall where we’re looking at renewal so late in the game. Let’s start talking about it in April, get real numbers, real costs, so we have plenty of time to go to bid if we need to.”
Residents pay $51.38 a quarter for the service, billed on their water bills.
“The price for residents is going to stay the same?” asked resident Bill Klieman.
“Stay the same,” said Bishop.
“No increase?” asked Klieman.
“Garbage and rubbish, I do not believe so, no increase this year,” Bishop said.
“Any increase in the budget you just passed?” asked Klieman.
“We passed it at $433,000, I believe,” said Bishop.
The council voted 6-0 to renew the contract. Council member Mitch Kuffa was absent.
St. Clair residents may have lucked out this year.
The city Port Huron, for example, will spend more than $14 million to have its solid waste and leaves collected over the next five years. The contract with Emterra Environmental of Flint for the period July 1, 2023-June 30, 2028 is $4,342,856 more expensive than the 2013-2018 contract, which cost $9,663,277. It’s nearly double what the city paid 2008-2013 at about $7.5 million.
The city got rid of its three mill tax, which was insufficient to pay for the service. In its place, each residential parcel will be charged $285 annually for the garbage and leaf collection.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
