The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
City moves to join waste consortium
$5,000 fee is non-binding, but opens options
Avon City Council approved legislation authorizing the city to pay a $5,000 entry fee to join the Lorain County Trash and Recycling Consortium on Sept. 24.
The $5,000 initiates the competitive bidding process for Avon to join the consortium with up to four service providers in the mix to submit bids.
Avon has been considering making changes since unexpected rate increases in August from present provider Republic Services prompting frustration from council and Mayor Bryan Jensen due to the lack of communication.
Jensen said the fee increases resulted in a number of residents contacting the city and electing to get rid of their recycling containers.
“My recollection is paying the $5,000 doesn’t obligate you to do anything but it does give you the opportunity to possibly take advantage of a competitive bid situation that could appear later on and obtain a cheaper price for trash hauling for perhaps the
next five years,” said Avon Law Director John Gasior.
Ward 1 Councilman Bob Butkowski and Ward 2 Councilman Dennis McBride both attended a meeting of the Consortium and recommended council move forward.
“The consortium was very amenable to the questions we brought forth as well as some of the other ones and my overall suggestion is to participate in this consortium bid and see what the ultimate outcome is and make our decision from there,” Butkowski said.
At a Sept. 17 service committee meeting, Mayor Bryan Jensen said joining the consortium could represent an annual savings of $200,000 to the city with the consortium servicing municipal buildings for free of charge.
The consortium presently in its fifth year, consists of 11 communities: Avon Lake, Amherst Township,
Brighton Township, Grafton Township, Huntington Township, Penfield Township, Pittsfield Township, Rochester Township, Rochester Village and Sheffield Township.
Elyria Township recently agreed to pay its $5,000 and is in the process of joining the consortium.
Currently consisting of 48,000 people in nearly 20,000 households, the consortium provides several benefits in providing leverage for communities to get better pricing on waste and recycling collection in jointly bidding on a solid waste contractor.
The consortium presently in its fifth year, consists of 11 communities.