MONROE - City Administrator Phil Rath sought feedback on his next steps in working out a contract with sanitation company Advanced Disposal after the city was sent a standard contract for the chance to use the local facility during winter months.
Board of Public Works members Charles Koch, Jeff Newcomer and Tom Miller advised Rath on the basics of a possible contract. Rath asked for guidelines on topics such as site hours, the definition of winter months and pricing.
"There's also language in the blanket document they sent out that basically says they can increase the price to whatever they want, whenever they want," Rath said. "That's not going to work for us."
The contract also specified a five-year agreement, which Miller said he would not condone. He added that he would prefer a fence-like structure to prevent clear sight of "the eyesore" behind Ace Hardware along the 100 block of West 7th Street. Koch echoed the sentiment. Each member of the committee agreed a year as a test run would be a better option.
Currently the city acts as an independent customer with the landfill in Janesville, transporting city garbage there. Tipping fees, or the cost of dumping garbage at that facility, are $35 per ton. Koch asked about the cost to use the Advanced Disposal transfer station. The company offered the city $50 per ton for a year-round agreement or $53 per ton if used in the winter months. Director of Public Works Al Gerber defined winter as November through March as a measurement of prevalent frost in the ground.
Miller asked whether the city had been in discussions with the Green County Transfer Station, which holds waste before transferring it to the Janesville landfill. Monroe was previously a member of the transfer station but ended a contract with the facility after three years of discussion in January 2015. Contract negotiations continued into August of that year but eventually came to a halt. The city began transferring solid waste directly to the Janesville landfill in fall of last year on a trial basis.
The Green County Transfer Station has been covering the money that would have been contributed by Monroe through the use of their contingency fund. Officials on the Solid Waste Management Board and landfill manager Randy Thompson have said recently that Monroe, the biggest municipality in the county, would help to operate the facility as intended if it returned.
Rath informed Miller that discussions between city administration and the county transfer station have not taken place since the first months of the year. Miller expressed a desire for the city to talk to county transfer station officials to see if some type of agreement could be offered as well. Tipping fees for the county transfer station are $45 per ton.
Rath said he would attempt discussion with facility employees and would also continue discussion with Advanced Disposal on a possible contract.
Board of Public Works members Charles Koch, Jeff Newcomer and Tom Miller advised Rath on the basics of a possible contract. Rath asked for guidelines on topics such as site hours, the definition of winter months and pricing.
"There's also language in the blanket document they sent out that basically says they can increase the price to whatever they want, whenever they want," Rath said. "That's not going to work for us."
The contract also specified a five-year agreement, which Miller said he would not condone. He added that he would prefer a fence-like structure to prevent clear sight of "the eyesore" behind Ace Hardware along the 100 block of West 7th Street. Koch echoed the sentiment. Each member of the committee agreed a year as a test run would be a better option.
Currently the city acts as an independent customer with the landfill in Janesville, transporting city garbage there. Tipping fees, or the cost of dumping garbage at that facility, are $35 per ton. Koch asked about the cost to use the Advanced Disposal transfer station. The company offered the city $50 per ton for a year-round agreement or $53 per ton if used in the winter months. Director of Public Works Al Gerber defined winter as November through March as a measurement of prevalent frost in the ground.
Miller asked whether the city had been in discussions with the Green County Transfer Station, which holds waste before transferring it to the Janesville landfill. Monroe was previously a member of the transfer station but ended a contract with the facility after three years of discussion in January 2015. Contract negotiations continued into August of that year but eventually came to a halt. The city began transferring solid waste directly to the Janesville landfill in fall of last year on a trial basis.
The Green County Transfer Station has been covering the money that would have been contributed by Monroe through the use of their contingency fund. Officials on the Solid Waste Management Board and landfill manager Randy Thompson have said recently that Monroe, the biggest municipality in the county, would help to operate the facility as intended if it returned.
Rath informed Miller that discussions between city administration and the county transfer station have not taken place since the first months of the year. Miller expressed a desire for the city to talk to county transfer station officials to see if some type of agreement could be offered as well. Tipping fees for the county transfer station are $45 per ton.
Rath said he would attempt discussion with facility employees and would also continue discussion with Advanced Disposal on a possible contract.