Sykesville council to draft letter explaining new garbage contract

SYKEVILLE — The Sykesville Borough Council voted at this week’s meeting to draft a letter to residents explaining the terms of the new three year garbage contract with ARC Disposal.

As a result of an executive session at the Jan. 3 meeting, the council voted to re-advertise the refuse collection. The bids were opened at the Jan. 16 meeting, and the winning bid was ARC Disposal with the following terms: the contract is a three-year contract starting on Feb. 1 and running through Jan. 31, 2024, at $17.50 per month per unit, Feb. 1, 2024 through Jan. 31, 2025, at $18 per month per unit, and from Feb. 1, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2026, at $18.50 per month per unit. The contract said curbside recycling is not applicable.

Council member Ron Morris asked when the garbage contract officially took effect. Council president said it started on Feb. 1. Morris asked if the borough has the same pickup date and if ARC Disposal is supplying garbage cans. Yamrick said the pickup date is the same, and they were told the garbage cans are on order and ARC Disposal had not heard when they were coming in.

Morris asked if the contract constitutes an increase. Yamrick said the residents had been paying $14.50 and will be paying $17.50, which will increase 50 cents per year for the life of the contract, reaching $18.50.

Morris asked if the borough should draft a letter to residents about the incoming garbage cans and the increase in rates.

Yamrick stated she thought this was a good idea and would be a good way to introduce residents to the new company.

She said the letter will state that ARC Disposal will supply one 65 gallon toter to each resident. Each resident can get an additional toter for a deposit of $30, which will be returned to the resident upon the toter’s return to ARC Disposal. Residents can also use one extra can of their own of the same size or smaller. She said that for the quarterly community clean-up, the company will give the borough a dumpster every three months. She said all of this is in flux, but a letter to the residents is definitely in order.

“All of this is yet to be determined; we have to map it all out. We just did this. This all has to be mapped out yet and they have to sign their contract. They need to get over here

and do that. I think a letter to our residents is definitely in order,” Yamrick said.

The question was asked by several council members regarding people who paid for six months to a year of garbage disposal in advance. Yamrick said she didn’t think they could nullify that arrangement. Vice president Elaine Fike asked where those people’s money is going to go, as she thought that their previous disposal company, Waste Management, already had it. Borough secretary Jaysa Neal said that wasn’t the case, as that was an arrangement the borough made.

Council member Nate Alvetro said that technically, the borough residents were only paying $12.50 a month for garbage disposal and that a $2 fee was added to residents’ bills per month to bring more money into the borough. He asked if that arrangement would roll over into the new contract, and if so, would residents be paying $19.50. Several council members expressed that they did not want to continue with the $2 fee, for at the very least the first year. Yamrick said the borough could track its funds and revisit the issue if it becomes a problem for the bottom line.

Morris said they need to explain to residents why their bills are going up, as well as the benefits that come from the new contract.

Yamrick said garbage disposal is going up in price because everything is going up. Yamrick said they are leaving people who paid in advance as is, and they will get their free month.

Morris suggested that if the borough wanted to ease the pain of the increase on residents, it should only charge half of the increase until July, when the price increase takes full effect. Council member Kurt Kister said to fully explain the situation in the letter.

Yamrick said they will set the price at $16 until July, then have the new prices come into effect, setting the price at $17.50.

The council passed the motion to draft the letter explaining the changes under the new contract, which will take effect March 1.