West Dundee still working through garbage contract

West Dundee and Carpentersville have been planning to join forces to negotiate a new garbage contract with the company both have used. But while one village voted yes on the terms of the five-year contract this week, the other is taking more time with the decision.

“The purpose to do this with West Dundee is to scale the economy,” Carpentersville Assistant Village Administrator Joe Wade said.

But West Dundee officials said further negotiations will answer whether the contract will include wheeled totes and garbage stickers for whatever else won’t fit. And they want to revisit the prices.

Each municipality has a contract with Republic Waste Services — Carpentersville’s expired May 1, while West Dundee’s is scheduled to expire Aug. 1.

Both villages would see no increase in the first year of the contract. Prices would go up 2 percent every year thereafter. But in the fourth and fifth year, there would be an opportunity for Republic to reopen negotiations for a higher rate if diesel exceeds $4.40 a gallon.

Trash collection rates for a single-family home are $22.61 in Carpentersville and $22.33 in West Dundee. Residents are not billed separately for collections in either village. Both towns pay for the services through their general funds.

The contract would lock the prices from April 30, 2012, until Aug. 1, 2013, and will save Carpentersville $65,000 over two years.

West Dundee did not have an estimate for its savings.

West Dundee wants to move from an unlimited garbage plan to scheduled cleanup days when more garbage can be picked up in the new contract. Officials discussed possible changes they’d like to see and plan to vote at their next meeting.