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Landfill Operations Firm Given Contract Extension

Posted on: Friday, 26 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

Aug. 26--WATERLOO -- A private company operating the Black Hawk County Landfill has been given a five-year contract extension at a heftier price tag

Members of the county's Solid Waste Management Commission voted 4-0 Thursday against seeking bids for the landfill operations and approving a contract with Waste Tech Inc. to run the facility through June 30, 2011.

Waste Tech, which has been the landfill contractor since 1987, won its last contract by outbidding three other companies in 2001.

"I think it's in the commission's best interest to enter into an extension for another five years," said commission administrator Gary Wilcox. The extension also was endorsed by commission attorney Bob Braun and engineer Bob Bamsey.

"Part of our negotiations ... we also looked at the record," Bamsey said. "We think they've done a very good job, and they should be commended for that."

Based on the estimated waste stream at the landfill, Bamsey predicted the commission's annual contract payments would jump from $1.5 million to $2.5 million for the year. Those costs are based on unit prices for various items and equipment costs.

Bamsey said about 22 percent of the increase over the contract five years ago is based on inflationary prices of fuel, wages and other expenses. A large portion, more than $800,000, is for Waste Tech's purchase of a massive compactor, which will reduce the amount of landfill space needed per ton and save the county future costs in landfill expansions.

The additional cost also projects more material coming to the landfill based on tentative plans to accept Bremer and Grundy county waste streams. While that boosts the payments to the contractor, the additional waste also brings in more revenue.

The new contract takes effect July 1, 2006.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa

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Source: Waterloo Courier

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