New waste contract signed, new city manager sought (Printed Sept. 21, 2007)
By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
South Portland city officials expect a five-year contract with Pine Tree Waste to increase recycling by 10 percent and rehabilitate a solid waste program that has the city’s Public Works Director Dana Anderson at his “wits’ end” due to frequent maintenance issues with the city’s automated trash trucks.
On Monday, the city council approved a $4.3 million contract with Pine Tree by a vote of 6-1 with Councilor Jim Soule opposed.
Soule said he was not in favor of what seemed to be less about recycling than a knee jerk reaction to an accident in the spring that put one automated truck out of service. He also said laying off laborers would come back as an additional cost and operational concern in the winter.
The contract is expected to commence next summer. Pine Tree will distribute 65 gallon containers for recyclables, which at $93,000 a year for five-years, is driving the price of the contract.
Acting City Manager Jim Gailey proposed the council discuss the creation of a solid waste reserve account at the next public hearing. With insurance money from the damaged truck and the sale of another truck expecting to bring in $50,000, Gailey said there is roughly $100,000 that could be used to reduce the bin costs by $20,000 each year of the contract.
In other business, the council discussed a process for hiring a new city manager. Mayor Claude Morgan said the council showed support for keeping the process “in house” and relying on a consultant in a very limited capacity.
The human resource consulting firm, Drake Inglesi Milardo, assisted the city with a search that resulted in the hire of Ted Jankowski last September. Jankowski resigned after eight months in the position.
Since Jankowski’s tenure fell short of a year, the firm is expected to honor a guarantee to conduct a free search for his replacement.
Morgan said the application process will likely take three weeks and he said early November is not an unreasonable deadline for the entire process.
Morgan said Acting City Manager Jim Gailey has expressed interest in the position.
“We certainly want to see his application in that pile,” said Morgan. “As far as I’m concerned – this pool of applicants needs to beat Jim.”
Gailey could not be reached before press time.
Staff Writer
South Portland city officials expect a five-year contract with Pine Tree Waste to increase recycling by 10 percent and rehabilitate a solid waste program that has the city’s Public Works Director Dana Anderson at his “wits’ end” due to frequent maintenance issues with the city’s automated trash trucks.
On Monday, the city council approved a $4.3 million contract with Pine Tree by a vote of 6-1 with Councilor Jim Soule opposed.
Soule said he was not in favor of what seemed to be less about recycling than a knee jerk reaction to an accident in the spring that put one automated truck out of service. He also said laying off laborers would come back as an additional cost and operational concern in the winter.
The contract is expected to commence next summer. Pine Tree will distribute 65 gallon containers for recyclables, which at $93,000 a year for five-years, is driving the price of the contract.
Acting City Manager Jim Gailey proposed the council discuss the creation of a solid waste reserve account at the next public hearing. With insurance money from the damaged truck and the sale of another truck expecting to bring in $50,000, Gailey said there is roughly $100,000 that could be used to reduce the bin costs by $20,000 each year of the contract.
In other business, the council discussed a process for hiring a new city manager. Mayor Claude Morgan said the council showed support for keeping the process “in house” and relying on a consultant in a very limited capacity.
The human resource consulting firm, Drake Inglesi Milardo, assisted the city with a search that resulted in the hire of Ted Jankowski last September. Jankowski resigned after eight months in the position.
Since Jankowski’s tenure fell short of a year, the firm is expected to honor a guarantee to conduct a free search for his replacement.
Morgan said the application process will likely take three weeks and he said early November is not an unreasonable deadline for the entire process.
Morgan said Acting City Manager Jim Gailey has expressed interest in the position.
“We certainly want to see his application in that pile,” said Morgan. “As far as I’m concerned – this pool of applicants needs to beat Jim.”
Gailey could not be reached before press time.
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