By Amy Eddings

After 12 years of service, Waste Management will no longer be collecting Ada’s residential trash. 

The Village Council voted to accept Republic Services as the community’s new waste hauler, because its sealed bid was lower than Waste Management’s.  The contract is for three years, beginning Dec. 1, with an option to renew for another three years.

The savings?  Thirty-seven cents per customer per year.  Republic’s proposed monthly rate and fuel charge was $16.48.  Waste Management’s was $16.84.  Allen County Refuse, another bidder, priced itself out of the running at $17.34.

“I don’t get a lot of calls at home, but I got more calls on this than anything we’ve ever dealt with here,” said Councilor Don Fleming.  But with an average of 1,200 households needing waste pick-up, that would mean Waste Management’s services would cost $36,000 more than Republic’s.

“So, 36 cents doesn’t sound like much, but for the whole village for the whole three years, it’s a lot of money."

In an effort to get community support at Tuesday night’s council meeting, Waste Management had delivered flyers to its customers.  “Are you happy with your trash and recycling service?” it asked.  “Come support Waste Management at your next council meeting to keep us as your service provider!"

Eight residents attended.  One, Gregg Garver, expressed support for Waste Management.  “They’re real good to us and pick up anything we put out there,” he said.

Mayor David Retterer said there was no issue with Waste Management’s service.  But he said that the village was required by its own procurement rules to accept the lowest bid.

“In order to deny Republic, it would have to be for cause.  We have done our due diligence and we don’t see any cause.  We don’t have a lot of choice unless we have reason to believe that Republic can’t do the job."

Tom Torchiano, one of three Waste Management sales representatives who attended the meeting, disagreed.  He said the village had more discretion than the mayor suggested, and thumbed through the village’s document requesting bids.  It stated that the village reserved the right “to award the contract to the bidder who, in the sole opinion of the Village of Ada Ohio is the lowest and/or best bidder for the services described."

“You have to look at the value of 36 cents’ worth to change,” he told the Ada Icon. “I understand fiscal responsibility.  But if you look at the long term, you’re paying a little more for a service that people are content and happy with.”

Ada is Waste Management’s largest client in Hardin County.

Terry Thompson, Area Municipal Market Manager for Republic, told the Icon he’s pleased to have won Ada’s business.  “It always feels good,” he said.  “In six years, I hope that [the new Ada customers] will fight for us.” 

Village Administrator Jim Meyer said Republic would be providing the exact same service as Waste Management did in terms of bulk pickups, freon disposal, recycling pickups, days of service and the types of bins used.  But he warned that residents could see a change in the time of day their garbage gets hauled away, depending on the routes Republic develops into and out of town. 

“It’ll be huge,” said Republic’s Terry Thompson, of the public’s possible reaction to new routes.  “It’s the biggest problem in a transition.” 

He said Republic will likely start its routes on the west side of town, because trucks will be coming from garages in Lima, and finish east of town, closest to Carey, where the nearest Republic landfill is.  He said he’s willing to work with the village to keep routes similar to the ones Waste Management has used.

Waste Management’s last pickup will be Tuesday, Nov. 24.  Thompson said Republic would distribute its blue and green brown bins four to five days before that.