Faison awards garbage contract to higher bidder
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on April 8, 2004 2:03 PM
FAISON -- Onslow Container Service won Faison's garbage collection contract, though its bid was higher than its competitor.
The town decided it no longer wanted to give the business to Waste Industries because residents complained it had not been separating their recyclable materials.
Dallas Goodwin of Waste Industries, which had been hauling garbage for Faison, and Jennifer Rackley of Onslow Container presented their final offers Wednesday night during the town board meeting at Town Hall.
The town has 350 households using containers. Waste Industries' contract to haul the town's garbage to a landfill in Sampson County expires at the end of the month. The last pickup day will be April 28, and Ms. Rackley promised a seamless transition.
Both companies included landfill dumping fees in their offers. Both offered to pick up recycling once a week. Both companies guaranteed their prices for two years. Then, the rates would be re-negotiated.
The town had been paying Waste Industries $9.81 per container and another $26 per ton tipping fee.
Goodwin, the company's government contracts manager, said Waste Industries made an offer of $10.55 per container with the tipping fee included.
The town rejected that proposal and sought other offers. Onslow Container offered to collect the garbage and the recyclable materials once a week for $10.69 per container and no tipping fee at the landfill.
Though Onslow's bid was higher, the town was dissatisfied with Waste Industries.
When asked why he offered a better rate after all these years, Goodwin said the company no longer hauls recyclable materials to Wilson. The recyclables are dropped off at the landfill and picked up by Carolina Recycling where it's separated by mentally challenged clients.
"Going to one site rather than to Wilson is a tremendous savings," said Goodwin.
Faison Mayor Bill Igoe said the town will save $6,000 or $7,000 a year with the tipping fees being included in the rate per container.
The board voted four-to-one to contract with Onslow Container. Only Pat Rouse voted for Waste Industries.
Onslow Container Service hauls garbage for 14 municipalities, including Beulaville and Magnolia. The company has been in business 30 years.
"We're heavy into recycling," said Ms. Rackley, who promised to pass any new savings on to the town. "The recycling goes to a facility in Greenville. We do a lot of recycling with the Duplin County schools and the Lenoir County schools."
She said Onslow Container picks up both municipal solid waste and cardboard at the schools. She promised to bring brochures, send mailings and work with the school children to promote recycling.
Frances Parks, who educated the town about recycling through the school children years ago, said the participation rate used to be more than 40 percent. She said she still recycles every day.
The town's recycling rate over the years has dropped to 17 percent, Goodwin said.
"It really 'gets me' that Waste Industries is now down to $10.55 and say the reason is they no longer have to haul the recyclables to Wilson," said Mrs. Parks.
She said Onslow Container is going to take the recyclables farther than Wilson every week, "and it's pennies more than theirs."
She said the town has been taken for $6,000 a year, and Onslow Container is still going to make money on its deal with the town.