City negotiating with garbage and recycling companies for five-year contract.

The City of Manchester is negotiating bids with our current waste management company, LRS in Napoleon. mirror file photo

by Marsha Chartrand

If the City of Manchester manages to pull off a new garbage and recycling contract, Manchester residents may want to stockpile their pennies to pay the extra cost.

Sealed bids were opened at 4pm last Thursday, with Clerk Brittany Kuhnle, Manager Michael Sessions, and representatives from LRS in Jackson, Stevens Disposal from Petersburg, Mi., and Granger Waste Services of Lansing, in attendance to witness opening bids for garbage and recycling services for the next five (5) years. Based on these bids, the City will be negotiating a contract with LRS Recycling. The three bidders ranged from $13.06 a month the first year to $17 the first year, to $24.25 a month the first year for garbage, for the same services we are currently receiving — garbage tote, recycling, and bulky item service to customers homes.

Dumpsters for the Chicken Broil, DPW, City Hall, and Wastewater Treatment are all included with this bid from LRS Recycling. Other bidders quoted varying prices to service these dumpster sites, as well as separate pricing for bulk item service, freon, or less frequent recycling pickup.

“It should be noted that our residents are currently paying $13.05 a month for garbage and recycling services, so the increase is only one cent a month,” Sessions said. “The increase from LRS per year after that is 4% a year. (Editors Note: Granger anticipated a 5% increase annually; Stevens quoted a 50-cent raise per year, from $17 to $19)

“I have to admit, I’m extremely happy with this,” Sessions continued. “I did not expect a renewal like this. I expected something more like $17 a month for our residents. A penny increase per month is simply amazing!”

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.