Garbage service will continue in the new year, but recycling and a rate hike remain on hold after Augusta commissioners agreed to extend current agreements with two waste haulers for 90 days Wednesday.
In the last meeting for outgoing commissioners Sean Frantom and Bobby Williams, the commission rejected new contracts with the haulers, Coastal Waste and Recycling and Georgia Waste Systems, a division of Waste Management.
Williams’ motion, to accept Engineering and Environmental Services Director Hameed Malik’s original recommendation of the two haulers failed 5-4 with Mayor Garnett Johnson opposed and commissioners Brandon Garrett and Alvin Mason again absent.
Malik’s original recommendation included an annual fee hike to $440, with the excess intended to cover services such as demolition of blighted structures and street sweeping.
“We’re just kicking the can down the road and it’s just going to cost us more,” Williams said.
“I think the wise thing would be for this body to go with the recommendation that the department recommended,” Commissioner Jordan Johnson said.
Two weeks ago, the commission also rejected hiring the two firms with a $3 monthly rate increase after some commissioners questioned why the city needs two haulers, which was Malik’s recommendation, instead of one.
Augusta garbage customers, who are billed for service on their property tax bills, currently pay $320.50 annually for garbage and recycling pickup, although recycling has been being diverted to garbage for some time and was “suspended” at the time of the hurricane. According to Malik, haulers under the new contract will have to offer recycling collection to customers.
Malik said the hauler that scored highest in the city’s procurement was Georgia Waste Systems. He said the contract extension will cost the city around $1 million.
Administrator Tameka Allen said the city has funds to cover the extension in its waste collection account, but won’t know its impact on the budget until commissioners set customers’ collection rate.
Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle’s motion to approve the extension passed 9-1 with only Williams opposed.
Frantom urged the body to get contracts approved soon in the new year “because it looks like it’s going to cost us.”
