CRESTVIEW — After receiving city officials’ praise for Crestview's current trash contractor, the City Council unanimously approved renewing Waste Pro's contract for another five years.
Republic Services' Municipal Services manager Rory Cassedy, representing subsidiary Allied Waste Services, and Ralph Mills, Waste Pro’s regional vice president, addressed the council prior to the vote.
Cassedy stressed his company's bid would save small businesses $33.92 per month in garbage fees, or $407.04 a year, over current rates, or $287.04 annually contrasted with Waste Pro's bid.
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Mills emphasized his company's much-lauded customer service and "flat management" structure.
Waste Pro's bid reduces residential and commercial rates, he said, yet provides customers four to five services per week, including twice-weekly trash pick-up, and recycling, yard waste and junk pick-ups.
Since assuming the city's garbage contract in 2007, Waste Pro has provided 10.2 million services, Mills said.
Bids were received from Allied and Waste Pro, as well as Waste Management and Inland Waste Services. A three-person evaluation committee comprising Finance Director Patti Beebe, City Clerk Betsy Roy and Public Services Director Wayne Steele rated the companies.
Waste Pro ranked first and Allied ranked third in the evaluations.
Councilman Tom Gordon asked committee members why they recommended Waste Pro over the other bidders.
"You get what you pay for sometimes, and sometimes you don't," Steele said. "In the past five years, we got what we paid for. It was such a refreshing partnership to work with a company that did what you asked them and they met your expectations."
After noting that Waste Pro has "proved themselves over and over," Councilman Shannon Hayes moved to approve a contract with the company. The motion passed unanimously.
Anticipating the council would choose Waste Pro or Allied, City Clerk Betsy Roy had prepared two ordinances granting the city's contract to the two companies respectively.
After Councilman Joe Blocker moved to grant the contract to Waste Pro, which passed unanimously, Roy withdrew the ordinance drafted for Allied.
Waste Pro's new five-year contract becomes effective Oct. 1.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: City Council agrees to renew contract with Waste Pro