By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
Republic Services of the Rio Grande Valley will continue to provide municipal solid waste collection and disposal services for San Benito at a higher rate after elected leaders unanimously approved a waste management contract.
Republic may have beaten out Frontier Waste Solutions, but as City Manager Fred Sandoval told elected leaders in early April, “rates were higher in some cases.”
This decision follows elected leaders’ entry into executive session at the request of Commissioner Pedro A. Galvan during an April 21 San Benito Commission meeting. The item had originally been tabled because the commissioners said they lacked all the rate details.
This time, city leaders had Republic Services’ present/future comparisons and Frontier Waste Solutions’ proposals.
According to Republic, the updated residential rates are as follows: service two times per week for solid waste collection with a 96-gallon cart provided. The rate is $13.44 per month per household, with $7.91 for an extra cart.
Additional services for monthly bulk and brush collection is $6.49 per month per household.
According to Republic, the updated commercial rates are as follows: Small commercial with cart: $41.23; Small commercial with extra cart: $17.43; Multi-unit with cart: $41.23; Multi-Unit with extra cart: $17.43.
According to Republic, the following updated City free services are as follows: Thirteen six-yard containers serviced one time per week at City sites; two 30-yard roll-off containers serviced one time per month with one haul and disposal each; one 30-yard roll-off containers for demolition once per year; Trash Bash seven 30-yard roll off containers with one haul and disposal each; additional miscellaneous events two 30-yard roll-off containers with haul and disposal each.
Republic shows that all rates include a 15 percent franchise fee.
According to Republic, the updated haul rate for one time per week are as follows: two cubic yard, $59.40; three cubic yard, $89.05; four cubic yard, $118.77; six cubic yard, $178.15; eight cubic yard, $237.50; 30 cubic yard, two times per week, $276.96.
Republic also offers other rates for tonnage and rentals. Dumpster lock bars and casters are available.
Currently, Republic Services’ prices for trash and brush pickup are available to residents upon request. Its rates and various residential and commercial services are also listed on the City’s website.
At least one resident, Joe Rodriguez, is pleased with Republic.
“They’ve been our company for trash since 2001, and in all those years have been late once because an employee was sick,” Rodriguez said. “They came back the next day.”
He also viewed price comparisons between Republic and Frontier and concluded with the following “It was pretty obvious who San Benito (leaders) should pick.”
On April 7, the commissioners had gone into the meeting to authorize Sandoval to initiate, negotiate, and execute a new contract with an alternative proposer, Frontier Waste Solutions, for exclusive San Benito municipal solid waste collection and disposal services.
It would have been a major change from the current provider, Republic Services, which Sandoval said had proposed higher rates after receiving a directive from commissioners to negotiate with that entity.
San Benito Mayor Ricardo “Rick” Guerra and Commissioner Deborah A. Morales also attended that meeting.
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