City hears two recycling proposals

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council’s Public Works Committee was updated Wednesday afternoon from Dakota Sanitation of Bismarck, and Renaissance Recycling of Jamestown, on requests for proposals for curbside recycling in Jamestown.  Council Member Gumke was not present.

Rick Anderson from Dakota Sanitation told the committee that the proposal is “single sort.”

He said a Jamestown recycling facility, would be established and ship the unsorted material,  to a Minnesota site, in Shakopee,  and that there would be no drop site.

He added that the weekly participation rate is 50-55%, and the monthly participation rate is expected to be 75%.

He explained that the pick up equipment that will be used, is 20 cubic yard trucks, every two weeks, to coincide with the garbage pick up day, providing a single container for residents to collect all recyclable materials allowed by the program.

Billing would be included on the monthly water bill.

It does not anticipate enough value in the recyclables to make any revenue share payments to the city of Jamestown.

He said a five year contract would likely involve a renewal to the contract with the city a the end of five years.

Ralph Friebel said, Renaissance Recycling would pick up with an automated cart, no glass is allowed, unlike the Dakota Sanitation, plan. The pick up would be every other week.   The material would be brought to the drop off site, with a manual sort, which will also be open to the public.

Six additional workers would be employed.

The material is then shipped out of town.

The present building would have to be expanded.

He is asking for a ten year contract with the city.

The proposal includes revenue sharing with the city, at 40%.

The Renaissance Recycling proposal includes a July 2017 program kickoff and Dakota Sanitation in the summer of 2017.

Both proposals included information in news releases and other methods of public information to explain the best ways to use the recycling program, as all residents would be charged for the recycling program.

Mayor Andersen suggested the city order in samples of the container sizes for the public to view.

Commercial businesses wanting to recycle would contract independently with either business.

Neither proposal includes the pay-as-you-throw plan, previously considered an option to operate the program to encourage recycling participation.

Mayor Andersen said a pay- as- you- throw plan is necessary, using variable container sizes.

Council Member Brubakken said the city needs to look at the city’s changes in garbage pick up concerning equipment or possible reductions in staff.

Council Member Buchanan also favors the pay-as-you-throw, plan.

He added that the contractor agreement should be of a substantial length to avoid uncertainties.

He said the fee of $5,000 a month to Renaissance Recycling would be eliminated, and suggested a subsidy.  He said public information will be needed, including savings under automated program.

Renaissance Recycling proposes a cost of $9.26 per residence per month for residential homes and trailer parks with the fee going down  to $6.30 per residence per month when apartments are added to the mix.

Fees are based on container size.

Jamestown City Beautification Committee, Chairperson Joan Morris said pay-as-you-throw, would establish costs based on how much is thrown into the landfill, versus recycled materials.

Questions and discussion concerned availability for condo residences, and how commercial collections would be made.

Dakota Sanitation  is proposing a cost of $9.42 per residence per month if only residential homes and trailer parks are included. The proposed cost goes down to $6.88 per residence per month if apartment buildings are also included.

Mayor Andersen said the city next needs to determine costs for automated equipment purchases.

Discussions of changes to the Sanitation Department, including a pay-as-you-throw system, and the term of the contract could take place during city Budget Hearings this month.

Recycling will be addressed again at the September Public Works Committee meeting.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67, followed by replays.