Town officials said Tuesday that they’ve been unable to reach a Stamford-based garbage and recycling collection company for a reason why New Canaan is paying about 30% more than neighboring Wilton for a similar service, and will seek a new contractor.
The town pays City Carting about $85 per ton for recycling services, compared to Wilton’s rate of $65 per ton, according to Department of Public Works Assistant Superintendent of Solid Waste Don Smith.
“I can’t get ahold of nobody,” Smith told the Board of Selectmen when asked whether City Carting had justified the $20 difference. “I have sent emails, phone calls and text messages and nobody has gotten back to me since our last time we had this [discussion] in November.”
The comments can as the Board approved payment of about $64,000 to City Carting for invoices racked up the past three months. The town since July 1 has been using the company without a contract.
Smith told the selectmen during their regular meeting at Town Hall that a request for proposals will go out next week.
“I’m sending it to all three major companies in the area and hopefully someone else will just respond and go after it,” Smith said. The two other companies are located in Shelton and Bridgeport, he said.
Public Works Director Tiger Mann said the RFP is for services for the balance of this year and all of next year.
First Selectman Kevin Moynihan asked whether Darien outsources its recycling services to City Carting. Mann said that the town of Darien oversees its own operation, which includes two City Carting employees and two municipal workers.