Shiloh scraps idea of mandatory recycling
Shiloh village trustees approved a five-year waste removal contract with Republic Services during their meeting Sept. 5.
The new contract maintains voluntary recycling and yard waste with automated trash removal. The board shot down, on a 4-2 vote, an option of mandatory recycling.
The current contract expires at the end of October. Currently, the monthly cost for automated trash removal is $10.78; optional recycling with an 18-gallon, non-lidded bin is $4.04; and optional yard waste removal is $10.77. For all three services, a resident pays $25.59 monthly, or $307.08 per year.
With the new contract, the services remain the same, but the price will increase across the board, beginning Nov. 1. The monthly cost for trash removal will be $11.25, or $135 annually. Recycling will be $6, and yard waste removal at $11.09. All three services would be $28.34 per month, or $340.08 annually.
If the board had passed mandatory trash and recycling, the monthly cost would have been $11.21 for trash, $4.04 recycling, totaling $15.25 per month. The price for yard waste removal was the same, but the 18-gallon recycling bin would have been upgraded to a either a 65- or 95-gallon cart with a lid.
Shiloh Mayor Jim Vernier said he thought the village had missed an opportunity with the board’s decision.
“I just think that our country needs to do that (recycle). It’s a shame to see what you throw away could be recycled. I think we are being progressive in doing it … and the only way we can do it efficiently is if we have everybody doing it, and keep the cost down as well,” Vernier said.
Trustees Colleen Powers and Tina Warchol were also proponents of mandatory recycling. When the second motion and vote took place for keeping the services optional still, Powers and Warchol voted in opposition, while the other trustees brought the vote to approval.
Shiloh resident Bob Hart said he doesn’t recycle, and he has limited space in his garage, so he was glad the board went with optional recycling.
“Some people think $4 isn’t much, but we’re on a limited income being retired, so $4 bucks does make a difference,” Hart said.
Though he wondered if there might have been a better deal out there.
“I just don’t understand how this didn’t go out for bid. I really don’t understand,” Hart said.
The new contract also calls for incremental increases each of the other four years of the contract, starting next year with 34-cent hike.
Bills for waste removal services will continue to be sent quarterly.
Shiloh vs. O’Fallon services
Shiloh resident Bill Musser asked if senior citizen discounts were considered.
“Well, we would love to do that, but it’s just the logistics of managing it that get to be a little tough,” Vernier said.
O’Fallon’s provider, Waste Management, offers a monthly discount to senior citizens of $3.10, with eligibility proof, as well as discounts for disabled residents.
“We don’t handle any of the I.D. checking on senior citizens discount, Waste Management does,” said Pam Funk, O’Fallon’s assistant city administrator.
“I understand that Waste Management is in O’Fallon and it’s a lot cheaper than Shiloh is. Why didn’t you go to Waste Management and talk to them to get a bid? Just because Republic (Services) said that’s the best deal, does not mean that’s the best deal.” said Hart.
According to Vernier, this renewal contract “will still be $7 cheaper” than what O’Fallon residents pay.
“We have a better deal, and we’ve had a better deal all along,” Vernier said.
O’Fallon contracts with Waste Management has a flat rate unlimited removal of trash, yard waste and recycling. All services are mandatory for $21.55 monthly, or $258.60 annually.
Under Shiloh’s contract, old and new, there is a limit on what you can put out. For example, trash removal is limited to a the size of one’s container, either a 95- or 65-gallon cart. Additional carts cost $4 per month, per cart. In O’Fallon, residents are only charged $1.50 monthly for each extra cart. Shiloh also has an eight-bag limit on yard waste.
Also, in O’Fallon 35-gallon carts are available by special request. There’s also weekly collection of bulky items and Christmas tree removal in January is included. Moreover, appliances are may be removed for $19.31.
Merger off the table, for now
Discussions were on the table for Shiloh joining O’Fallon on it’s waste removal contract, but nothing came to fruition. O’Fallon Mayor Herb Roach said he didn’t know why.
“They went off on their own for whatever reason to do their own contract, but we will going out for bids on ours soon, probably sometime in October or November, because I believe our contract expires in January. And is an all-inclusive contract, which theirs is more like a pick-and-choose sort of contract,” Roach said.
Shiloh’s new contract with Republic will expire Jan. 31, 2023. Then, “maybe joining O’Fallon could be on the table again,” Vernier said.
“Just for clarification that (the Jan. 31, 2023 expiration) then aligns the contract then with the city of O’Fallon’s contract. So if we decided next time to competitively bid, we will probably do it in a joint nature, which will be much more beneficial for all of us,” Vernier said.
“With almost 50,000 resident users for a company to bid on, (that) could bring considerable savings, but each community has to look at it and choose what is best for them, and I think that’s what Shiloh decided,” Roach said.
This story was originally published September 15, 2017 at 7:49 AM with the headline "Shiloh scraps idea of mandatory recycling."