Town reviews leaf-and-limb service proposals focused on grinding, vacuuming and on-site composting

The meeting opened with a review of bids for the town’s leaf-and-limb contract, with the chair identifying two submissions and describing the solicitation as option-based rather than a lump-sum procurement. The chair said one proposal came from Bridges Land Management and a second from Cousins Property Management.

A representative for Bridges Land Management described a collection system that uses a vacuum truck and vacuum trailer to collect leaves, branches and other yard waste and then runs material through a horizontal grinder to produce usable compost. “We grind all of their yard waste as well and turn it into compost that is usable,” the presenter said, describing equipment and processing steps. The presenter said some material would be staged on town property before grinding rather than hauling everything to a landfill.

The presenter also said the contractor’s compost had been used in another municipality, noting roughly 700 cubic yards were applied to a new outdoor track and park and estimating the reuse saved “upwards of, $150,000” in compost costs. The presenter framed on-site processing as a way to offset some program costs through local reuse.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about whether material would be taken off-site and how pricing differed for bagged versus loose collection. Antonio, a bidder or bidder representative, confirmed parts of the work would be done off-site using heavy dump trucks when specified in a bid. The transcript records no formal motion or vote on awarding the contract during the recorded exchange.