by Andrea Ruse

The city will go out to bid on its $25 million waste hauling contract.

For the past seven years, the city has awarded waste hauler Waste Management the city’s largest contract in a sweetheart deal with fixed rates.

As the end of that contract approaches, the city in February considered whether to send out requests for proposals from new vendors or renew with Waste Management. The new contract negotiated with Waste Management would include a 16 to 19 percent increase over the next three years and possibly higher increases thereafter, in order to catch up with inflation.

City Council members and many residents at a Tuesday night meeting said that the services by Waste Management have exceeded their expectations over the years. Others argued that municipal code requires the city to go out to bid on any contract more than $20,000.

“This is about people,” Cohen said. “Waste Management has gone above and beyond the call of duty. For me it’s mostly about the services and the people.”

In a 4-1 vote, council members chose to go out to bid.

“I personally believe that the same customer service, community involvement and good price mean more to me than going back to the same circle again,” said dissenting member Mayor Pro Tem Richard Montgomery.

Requests for proposals will be issued in July. The contract, which will begin May 2011, will be awarded in December.

The city will likely spend a minimum of $105,000 in consultant fees during the bid process. ER

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