Jan. 27 deadline on trash contract talks in Dewey

Recognizing the window to mandate a change in trash and recycling services for residential property owners for the summer season is quickly closing, Dewey Beach officials have set a must-finish date of Jan. 27 to complete contract negotiations with Waste Industries.

The deadline allows for proper notification of proposed ordinance changes for the council’s Saturday, Feb. 11 meeting, said Commissioner Mike Dunmyer, during council’s Jan. 14 meeting.

“People have to make plans to cover their needs for the season,” he said. “I would expect that we will meet it.”

Since the fall of 2015, the town has been working on a system to require all residential property owners to use the same vendor for trash and recycling. About this time a year ago, council voted to delay implementation of the program and instead created a trash and recycling committee. Officials also increased fines and enforcement.

The committee, chaired by Debbie Knight, was tasked with figuring out potential issues with implementing the program, finding solutions, soliciting requests for proposals and then presenting the information to council in time to have the program implemented for the fast-approaching summer season.

In November, the committee submitted to council a recommendation to pursue contract talks with Millsboro-based Waste Industries.

During the Jan. 14 meeting, Commissioner Diane Hanson, who has been working as liaison for the town with Waste Industries, said, at this point, the issue is cost adjustments during the life of the 5-year contract – specifically Delaware Solid Waste Authority tipping fees and Waste Industries increases based on inflation.

Dunmyer said the Delaware Solid Waste Authority has already published the tipping fees for the length of the contract, and Waste Industries is anticipating an increase of $1 per ton per year over the that time.

The town can also negotiate their own rate with the solid waste authority, said Dunmyer, and it’s in the town’s best interest to see if they can do better.

Bill Lower, representing Dewey Beach Enterprises, said he has had experience with waste haulers in the past. He advised the town to not get hung up on the tipping fees because whoever the vendor is will have almost no control on the rise or fall of the fees in the future.

Separate from an increase in the tipping fees, town council is also discussing inflationary increases from Waste Industries.

Hanson said when she talked with Waste Industries the day before she told them there was an anticipated increase of 5 percent through the length of the contract. She said they responded by saying they thought it was a 5 percent increase every year.

Hanson said Waste Industries then agreed to not exceed an increase of 3 percent, per year.

Hanson, like Dunmyer, was confident the town would have the contract completed in time to implement the program this year. “The town is on the five-yard line, and we just need to get the ball across the goal line,” she said.

If the contract is complete, the town would still have to change a number of ordinances during the February meeting. Changes include a change in when bins can be placed in rights of way, collection times and providing an exclusive business license to the contract holder.

To help with the process, the town is expected to send a letter to property owners and other trash and recycling haulers.

Knight named Volunteer of the Year

Council also recognized Knight as the town’s Volunteer of the Year. She will be presented with the award during the Rehoboth Beach–Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce annual banquet Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Atlantic Sands Hotel.