On Thursday, April 1, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners got together and talked a lot of trash to each other.
Specifically, in the afternoon work session in the Blue Room of the Old Guilford County Court House in downtown Greensboro, the board heard arguments from two trash collection companies operating in the county that were both asking for rate increases.
The Board of Commissioners must approve any rate hikes for waste collection in unincorporated Guilford County since those franchise contracts are with the county.
On April 1, GFL Environmental and Republic Services both asked for increases on their basic weekly service for trash and recyclables collection as well as for other services. The companies citied increasing amount of trash from homes due to the pandemic and other factors such as the rising costs of equipment and labor.
GFL Environmental was asking the board to move from $21.50 to $22.50 for once-per-week trash collection and twice-per-month recyclable waste collection. That’s roughly a 5 percent increases and the company was asking for similar increases on its costlier services as well.
Republic was asking for a similar rate increase and also requesting the contract include an automatic yearly increase based on an industry inflation index.
The commissioners didn’t vote on the two requests but they are expected to do so soon.
Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston sounded skeptical of the requests.
“The question is, is that fair to the consumers?” Alston said.
Alston said that Republic didn’t come to the commissioners for a rate increase for ten years, and then, two years ago, came before the board and got an increase. Alston said that, now, Republic is coming to the board after two years and is also asking for automatic yearly cost increases.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners has asked for some specific figures and other information that will be provided to them.
I live in Guilford County and my trash has not increased during the stay at home orders for the last year; I don’t think my neighbors have either. Most of the people on the road on which I live use Republic Services. Republic’s rates increased in the last 2 years.
What do the contracts with these companies contain in the subject of rate hikes? How long are the contracts? What provisions are provided for rate hikes? This should have been fully contained in the contracts. If not, who wrote the contracts and why were there no provisions to cover such events? Someone is not performing their jobs very well.
Republic wants an automatic annual increase? Not just no, but heck no! Do your homework. Republic brings in $10 billion in annual revenues and operates one of the largest vocational fleets in the country. Its owned by Cascade Investment LLC. which just happens to be controlled by Mr. Bill Gates.
I think they can probably afford to absorb a little from little old Guilford County once in a while! At least GFL is asking for a one time increase and it’s only about 25 cents a week.
can I get a 5% raise on my SS check? According to BB, inflation is minimal. Sure, baby.
Put the contracts out to bid to see what the competitive rates are
Problem with putting them out for bid there’s not a lot more competition for these companies and they know it. Have you ever heard of collusion
Sorta like the absence of competition from The Cable Company. Only one now.