At its meeting Thursday night, the Brighton city Council approved a new, 5-year contract with Waste Management, beginning on July 1st, the start of the city’s new fiscal year. The new contract will include options for five, 1-year extensions with the city’s long-term trash and recycling hauler.

There were two bidders, with Advance Disposal the other, but Waste Management had the better price. With Waste Management, the yearly cost to the city will be about $569,000 vs. $636,000, with the diesel fuel index at $3.50 a gallon. If the diesel cost index rises to $4.00 the cost will go up incrementally. The cost savings to the city with Waste Management will be over $67,000 for the 5-year period. City Manager Nate Geinzer says the contract will benefit the city and its residents.

Geinzer says the cost to residents under the new contract will be $16.01 per month, or $192.12 per year. Waste Management’s annual inflation-based cost increase under the new agreement will be 4% for both residential and municipal services. As would have been the case if its competitor had been chosen, Waste Management will be changing to automated service trucks, with one driver. This requires the recycling cart size be increased from an 18‐gallon container to a 64‐gallon barrel.

Such a requirement could be problematic in the Hamilton Farms condominium development, located off Willliamsen, due to the tight maneuvering spaces and hilly terrain. Geinzer says the city is working with Waste Management toward an agreeable solution on the size of the containers and other logistical challenges in regard to Hamilton Farms. Council approved the agreement on a unanimous vote, directing staff to finalize the terms of the contract and services, with a final review by the city attorney and its signing by Geinzer. (TT)