March 12, 2008
ALPHARETTA -- A contract extension with Alpharetta's waste hauler should mean larger recycling containers will be available to city residents. And they will be able to put more kinds of plastics into those new carts.
In addition, the city's recycling program will expand to include all kinds of paper, not just cardboard, part of a program the waste hauler already started.
The city likely will approve a final 21-month extension to its garbage and recycling collection service with Allied Waste, taking the contract to March 31, 2010. Bids for a new contract will be sought before that date.
More than 13,800 residential customers are served by the waste hauler in its contract with Alpharetta. Base charges for residents will remain the same, said John Moskaluk, director of Engineering/Public Works.
"What you have to day will continue on," he said.
The extension will include several benefits for those customers, including:
• An optional 32-gallon recycling cart at no additional cost. Alpharetta will be the first city to use the larger carts, said Karen Pope of Allied Waste. Councilman John Monson pointed out that works directly to a drive by Mayor Arthur Letchas to make Alpharetta a green city.
• Recycling program expands to include all paper products. Currently only cardboard is allowed.
• Up to 10 bags weekly allowed for yard waste at no extra charge. For each bag/bundle greater than 10 weekly, a $1 tag is required.
• Residents will be charged for missing or lost containers, at $65 per container for trash carts, $40 for the 32-gallon recycle bin and $10 to replace an 18-gallon recycle bin. No charge will be made to replace broken or damaged containers. Broken recycle bins will be replaced with the larger carts.
Resident already can pay an extra $5.25 per month for a second 95-gallon garbage cart.
As a show of partnership and good faith, Allied Waste asked the city to agree to a fuel adjustment to offset future cost increases. The base price for fuel would be the waste hauler's average cost during the second quarter of 2008, expected to be a high mark. For a maximum of 4,575 gallons per month, Alpharetta would split the additional cost of fuel with Allied Waste, for a maximum of $15,000 per year.
"Over a certain number, we'll eat it," said Allied Waste's Karen Pope, in agreeing to the $15,000 cap.
"We are not going to pass this on to the citizens," said City Administrator Bob Regus.
Allied Waste could have gone to the Consumer Price Index to make rate changes under the existing contract, but chose a fuel adjustment, which is less costly to the city, according to Alpharetta Finance Director Tom Harris.
The contract will come to the Council on Monday, March 17.
- www.northfulton.com
|
