The City of Salem’s garbage collector isn’t happy with the city council only providing them half the inflationary increase they requested.
City Manager Rex Barbee is still hoping to find a solution as DBS Disposal is threatening to exercise an early out to their contract.
“He said that he was frustrated with our response to him and said he was ready to exercise the 90 day option. I said before you do that let me take it to the council but give me some information so I know how you are justifying what you are doing. I know he has increased fuel cost on repair costs, the transfer station he uses has increased his fees as well. Council has approved a 50-cent increase, but he wants more than that.”
The $1 per household per month increase DBS requested would still keep them below the second lowest bidder when the contract was awarded. Barbee fears a rebidding would result in an even bigger increase in cost to the city. He had hoped to receive the documentation for Monday night’s meeting, but didn’t.
The council approved a $79,968 bid from United Systems for 800 more electronic radio transmitters along with some through the lid antenna connections to continue the conversion to all remote reading equipment. There is a long delivery time so installation would not begin until later this year.
The Assistant to the Public Works Director Courtney Mitchell reported the Salem Aquatic Center has been filled and will be ready to open Memorial Day weekend. She reports a full staff has been hired, but some still need to pass certification.
The council approved Frank Addison to a position on the planning commission. He had been serving on the zoning board of appeals.
