Sylvania Township near choice for pickup
4/27/2005The apparent low bidder for waste hauling in Sylvania Township is BFI of Ohio Inc., with an offer to collect at homes in the township for an initial charge of $10.10 per month.
The charge would rise slightly each year of the proposed 5-year agreement to a monthly charge of $10.93.
The collection proposal includes a 96-gallon wheeled container and an 18-gallon recycling bin. The company would also pickup one large item, such as a washing machine or a couch, each week.
Brad Peebles, township administrator, said the BFI proposal was less expensive than a similar proposal from Waste Management Inc. That company's initial minimum charge was $12.87.
Although discussions haven't been completed, Mr. Peebles said he probably will not recommend that yard waste collection be included. He said that would raise the monthly fee to $14.24 and the service probably wouldn't be used enough.
He said that Clean Wood Recycling Inc., on Bancroft near McCord Road, accepts yard waste without charge.
Mr. Peebles said that based on responses to a questionnaire sent to residents, the average quarterly charge for residential waste collection in the township currently is $43.
Although an agreement would give BFI what the township considers an exclusive contract, residents would have an option to not be included.
Trustees said they weren't interested in imposing a single hauler on residents.
Companies had earlier considered different fee schedules based on the percentage of residents included in the collection route, but Mr. Peebles said that isn't part of this contract.
"That gave no one any real guarantees,'' he said.
Another item to be decided is a charge for administering the program.
It is likely that billing will be done by the township and Mr. Peebles said he is looking at computer programs for that purpose. Although the administration of the program will add some cost to the monthly bill,
tration of the program will add some cost to the monthly bill Mr. Peebles said it should stay within $11 per month for minimal service.
Other options, such as an additional recycling bin, are also being considered.
The township has looked toward having a single waste collection company as a means of saving some money for residents and limiting the number of garbage trucks on township streets through the week.
Mr. Peebles said the service of picking up one bulk item per week from subscribers may make it unnecessary for the township to offer its annual unlimited pickup.
He said that service costs the township between $80,000 and $100,000 each year.