BEAUFORT - A new contract for solid waste and recycling services in Carteret County brings an end to a longtime business relationship in the county.

Republic Services of North Carolina will begin providing service to the county on Sept. 15, taking over a job that has long belonged to Waste Industries. The Board of Commissioners approved the contract with Republic Services at its meeting this week.

While the change will end a 29-year relationship with Waste Industries, the decision isn't a reflection of the company's service, said County Manager John Langdon. He said the Waste Industries has served the county well.

"You don't take a decision lightly when you are changing a 29-year relationship," he said.

Langdon said the change follows the county's extensive effort, led by county engineer Bill Zaist, to rewrite its contract for solid waste and recycling services. The previous contract was complicated, and its provisions left little flexibility for making adjustments to meet current needs.

"We were giving one- and two-year extension on the current contract for little incentive and little adjustments. We felt it was time to rebid the whole thing," Langdon said.

Langdon commended Zaist for rewriting a contract to ensure that it meets current needs in the county and is also more "user-friendly."

For instance, he said, a new system of unit pricing will give the county the ability to expand or change services at its convenience sites during the course of the five-year contract without having to renegotiate with the service provider.

And under the new contract, the county will receive information that it hasn't in the past.

Langdon said the county has always known the total amount of waste being hauled to the landfill, but it hasn't had a breakdown of the amounts being hauled to the transfer station from the county's individual convenience sites.

The contract with Republic Services is for five years with an option for a five-year extension at the end of that time.

Associated with the approval of the contract are $300,000 in improvements and repairs to the 12 convenience sites where county residents drop off solid waste and recyclables.

A total of $90,000 from the current year's budget will be used for the purchase of land for a convenience site in Otway. The remainder of funds for improvements will come out of next year's budget.

The first-year cost of solid waste services will average $93,500 per month. In addition, the county will pay tipping fees for disposal at the regional landfill estimated at $80,000 per month.

Source: jdnews.com