STARKVILLE — In the wake of a contract dispute between Starkville Recycling and the city of Starkville, the city”s Board of Aldermen Tuesday will consider whether or not to request proposals from companies capable of continuing Starkville”s curbside recycling pickup program.
Since city Sanitation Department trucks in October 2009 began collecting residents” recyclables through a free curbside pickup program and dropping the items off at Starkville Recycling for sorting and sale, the recycling company has lost approximately $15,000 in labor costs. Proceeds from the sale of the recyclable materials did not cover additional labor and operation costs incurred by the recycling company, Starkville Recycling owner Stan Shurden said.
Shurden asked Starkville officials to amend the contract and help recover those lost wages, but the city wasn”t willing to make the amendment, Mayor Parker Wiseman said. Additionally, Wiseman and Sanitation Department Director Sharon Boyd were not content with reports from Starkville Recycling on the amount of materials collected each month. Plus, Starkville Recycling”s truck scales were not functioning properly, so Boyd sent Shurden a breach-of-contract letter on Sept. 9.
Wiseman and Boyd felt it would be “in the city”s best interests” to request proposals from other companies capable of continuing Starkville”s curbside recycling program, Wiseman said.
“Before we expend tax dollars on a service we”re not paying for now, when we know others in the market can offer similar services, it”s a prudent course for the city to advertise for proposals and see what everybody else can do it for,” Wiseman said.
To request new proposals, however, either Shurden or the city would have to terminate the existing contract.
Shurden sent city officials a letter this week which activated the 60-day notice-of-cancellation clause in the existing contract. Shurden stressed Starkville Recycling didn”t “quit” on the city.
“We didn”t quit,” Shurden said. “We”re not going out of business. I”ve had employees asking me if they”re still going to have a job. I”ve had businesses calling me. But that”s not the case. We didn”t quit.”
“We plan to be in business forever,” he added.
When the Board of Aldermen votes Tuesday on whether or not to request new proposals, Shurden says he will study the city”s specifications and most likely submit a new proposal from Starkville Recycling.
Starkville Recycling”s existing contract will end in November, but Shurden says the company won”t stop accepting recyclable materials from the city if the city hasn”t yet selected a new contractor.
“We”ve got a good (curbside recycling) program going,” Shurden said. “It needs to continue, no matter who does it.”
Wiseman stressed his desire to see the curbside pickup program continue without interruption after Starkville Recycling”s contract ends.
“The most important thing … is for people to understand this is not going to affect the curbside pickup,” Wiseman said.
Starkville Recycling”s five recycling bins around town also will remain in place, Shurden said.
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