Complaints about the city of Grovetown’s sanitation services led to discussions during the council’s work session Monday.
Finance director Bradley Smith addressed recent concerns regarding sanitation services. The city is currently in a contract with Waste Management. If the city intends to seek bids for its garbage services contract, it would be required to give Waste Management a 90-day notice.
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Smith said that the finance department had already drafted a request for proposal in case the council decided to open bids, in which case the city would have three months to accept bids and request a new proposal.
Councilwoman Deborah Fisher asked Smith whether an RFP was being considered due to recent complaints about Waste Management’s services. Smith expressed that he believed complaints about garbage services are primarily due to employee shortages.
“What’s to protect us from the next service provider running into the exact same issues?” he asked.
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Mayor Gary Jones asked what the downside going forth with submitting an RFP. Bradley Smith said Waste Management likely to increase its rates in its own bid for the contract.
As this was discussed during the council’s work session, no vote was taken on the matter. The council members agreed that enduring the current issues was preferable to issuing an RFP at this time. Jones requested that any renewal contract with Waste Management be negotiated would address issues of subpar service.
Councilwoman Ceretta Smith led a discussion during the meeting regarding hosting a Hometown Connection, a program run by the Georgia Municipal Association.
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Hometown Connections organize and facilitate meets between legislators and city government offices to strengthen relationships between them. Ceretta Smith also discussed organizing a youth council and local community leaders in order to encourage civic engagement and educate young people about local government.
“I love young people, I love working with young, I love mentoring young people I think it would be a great asset to our community to have a youth council,” she said.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering Columbia County with The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
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