City Council leaves pilot trash pickup program in the bag
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

With less than six months left on the city of El Campo's trash pickup contract, Council opted to delay any discussions on service changes during Tuesday night's meeting.

Allied Waste, the current garbage service provider, had requested the city allow a 90-day pilot program in one neighborhood to see if once a week pickup using a 95 gallon can would be cost effective and provide adequate service.

With constantly rising fuel costs, the city is looking at the possibility of higher garbage pickup costs in the future, City Manager John Steelman told Council when the city first started exploring the option late last month.

Last week, Steelman, Community Service Director Leonard Sternadel and a Council committee of Robert Boone and Anthony Collins traveled to Giddings to see the proposed service in action.

"As with any system there was some good and some bad," Steelman said. "My recommendation is that we don't do anything. We are close to the end of a five year contract."

With the current contract ending in October, the city will seek Requests For Proposals (RFPs) on solid waste collection in May or June.

"I've already been contacted by four other companies," Steelman told Council.

Delaying a trash service change doesn't eliminate containerized service as an option, he added.

In upcoming RFPs, the city can request interested companies bid options ranging from the current twice a week bag service to once a week container service or a recycling program.

The 95 gallon container system is viewed as a possible cost saver since a one-man truck can collect on the route using a hydraulic lift arm. The container is the equivalent of slightly less than three packed full standard trash cans.

Currently a two to three man crew is needed to pick up El Campo trash.

"We can get the service we want, but I assure you we will have to pay for it," Steelman said.

Allied Waste has been the city's garbage collection service provider since the municipality stopped picking up its own trash.

The residential collection cost is $17.61 per month following last November's rate hike.