Town board to issue RFP after vendors warn of higher trash-collection costs; options will include 1‑and‑1 and 2‑and‑1 service levels

The Grand Island Town Board at a workshop directed staff to prepare and publish a request for proposals for residential garbage collection that will include multiple service options and optional add‑ons.

Bob Westfall, a vendor representative brought in to brief the board, told members that ‘‘we were going to see a serious increase’’ in costs and that contractors need lead time to add trucks, crews and containers if the town switches vendors. He recommended the town solicit bids that lock in a base service but allow optional purchases for additional containers.

Westfall described the options the board asked staff to include in the RFP: a standard industry offering of one garbage can and one recycling tote per dwelling, an alternative that provides two garbage cans and one recycling tote, and a la carte pricing for extra containers. He also described a ‘‘sticker’’ or paid‑bag system so residents with occasional bulk waste or extra items can pay per item rather than making every household pay for additional service.

Board members pressed on logistics and cost: several raised space constraints for households that would have to store multiple containers, asked how sticker sales would be administered (town hall sales or an online portal), and sought comparative pricing for weekly versus biweekly recycling pickup. The board also flagged tires as a separate and potentially non‑bid item because vendors said handling tires poses regulatory and disposal complications.

Chair (speaker 4) summarized the board’s direction: staff should issue an RFP that includes both the 1+1 and 2+1 base options, pricing for optional extra containers, a sticker/bag add‑on for bulky items, and an explicit line for tire disposal or special collection events. The board asked staff to return with comparative price estimates so they can evaluate service level tradeoffs during budget season.

Next steps: staff will finalize the RFP and publish it to the market; the board will review bids and cost comparisons at a future meeting before making a contract award or other final decision.