Town of Weddington issued the following announcement on Aug. 13.
There have been many questions regarding the potential solid waste contract. Find the answers to those most frequently asked here!
1. If the Town moves forward with a contract, when will service start? Trash collection would begin in July 2022 and a separate solid waste fee would be charged on the 2022 tax bills that will be mailed out inJuly/August 2022 and due by January 2023.
2. How much will this cost? Residents can expect an estimated cost of up to $210 annually.
3. Will a resident be able to get more than one trash bin? Short answer, YES! Each bidding company is offering one 96-gallon bin for trash and one 96-gallon bin for recycling. Each resident will have the ability to add additional bins and services for an additional fee which will be billed directly to the resident.
4. What if a resident cannot get their trash/recycling bins to the road for pick-up? There is an opportunity for those medically qualified to receive back-door pick-up service.
5. Will the cost go up after the first year of the contract? Rates will be firm for the first 5-year term of the
contract with adjustments up or down as a reflection of the changes in the cost of doing business as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Any increase will not exceed 3% regardless of the CPI for any one year. If the cost of fuel increases more than 10% in a 6-month period, Weddington will then negotiate a monthly fuel adjustment fee.
6. What is the recourse for the residents if the contract gets canceled? The winning bidder will post a performance bond for the amount of one year of the contract. Should the approved vendor be unable to perform, the Town will be able to utilize the performance bond to ensure continued service while completing the process to engage a new vendor.
7. How do I report safety issues? Safety is a priority for all three bidding companies. If a resident observes a safety issue, they are encouraged to report it to the Vendor’s customer service right away. The Town will receive a monthly (or more often) report of service and safety issues.
8. How do I report service issues? The winning bidder will have competent customer service support that will be responsible for resolving service issues. Issues will be tracked and reported to the Town by the Provider. The Town will not be hiring a staff member to handle solid waste collection issues.
9. How will the Town hold the company responsible for service or safety issues? Quality customer service is of the utmost importance. If the winning bidder fails to remedy issues, the Town may deduct financial damages against monthly payments to the Vendor.
10. Is there recourse if recycling is mixed with household trash? The contract will provide for the recovery of liquidated damages from the vendor.
11. Why is Weddington researching Solid Waste Collection Contract? The Town is looking to reduce the number of trash trucks on the roads, standardize collection days to improve neighborhood aesthetics, offer better quality of services, and lower overall annual costs for residents.
12. Can I opt out? The benefits commensurate with the single-trash provider system, which include improved safety, decreased wear and tear on our roads, improved customer service and reduced per household pricing directly benefit all citizens of Weddington. The Council has not discussed this as a possibility.
Original source can be found here.
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