Hinsdale trustees are poised to approve a three-year extension to the village’s contract with Republic Waste for the collection and disposal of garbage, landscape waste and recyclables when they meet Tuesday, Sept. 19.
“Republic Services has been a longstanding provider of this service, dating back to 2007,” Trustee Neale Byrnes said at the Aug. 15 village board meeting, when trustees first discussed the proposal.
The last extension was approved in 2018 and runs through Nov. 1.
At that time, the standard form of collection switched from backdoor to automated curbside, with back door service available as an option. Only 7 percent of residences retained once-a-week backdoor service and 1 percent opted for twice-a-week backdoor service.
Prices are set to increase 4.25 percent each year for standard, once-a-week curbside collection.
“That amounts to about $1 a month or $12 a year,” Byrnes said.
Customers who use premium services will see significantly higher increases in the first year — 7 to 54 percent — and 4.25 percent increases in the second and third years.
“That’s a huge range,” Trustee Michelle Fisher said.
“We think it’s better to have the 4 1/4 percent increase for 86 percent of the people who are getting the once-a-week service,” Byrnes explained.
The senior rate for once-a-week backdoor collection will be extended to individuals with disabilities who meet certain criteria.
Republic will continue to provide unlimited free bagged leaf collection for six weeks each fall and free Christmas tree collection in January.
Staff reviewed the rates for Republic and other providers in area suburbs and found customers paying within $1 to $3 of what Hinsdale residents will.
“This 4 percent increase is not uncommon given the inflationary times that we’re in,” Village President Tom Cauley said.
Still, he suggested the village issue a request for proposals before the extension expires to see if a better rate can be obtained.
In addition to serving residences, Republic picks up garbage at 16 village facilities, 11 parks and 48 containers in the central business district. It also provides 40 dumpster collections per year.
The contract extension will be on the consent agenda for the village board meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19.
