By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
WABASH, Ind. – The City of Wabash has tentatively entered a five-year contract with Republic Services for trash pickup.
The contract, which would begin Aug 1, will become official pending review by Mayor Scott Long and City Attorney Randi Zimmerman-Irgang. The Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously approved the plan on Thursday, July 6.
The first year of the contract will cost the city $531,420. The second and third years will increase by 2 percent, while the fourth and fifth years will increase by 3 percent.
The city had an option for a three-year contract. However, by accepting the five-year contract, the board saved the city about $16,000.
Republic representative Steve Gill told The Paper of Wabash County that the contract includes no charges to the city for its annual spring and fall clean-ups.
Also included in the contract are six holidays in which trash pick-up will be delayed one day. Those holidays are New Year’s, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Republic was the only firm to submit a bid for the contract. A second firm, Advanced Disposal, obtained bidding information. However, Long said, the city received an email notifying it that Advanced was opting out of the bidding process.