Groot Industries is Oswego's New Waste Hauler

After months of discussions, trustees in a 4-2 vote approved a new five-year garbage contract Tuesday night with Groot Industries.

The contract, which leaves intact the village’s unlimited trash collection, will charge residents $17.25 per month during the first year, with the cost increasing each year of a five-year contract to $20.97 by year five. Residents currently pay $20.44 per month. Seniors should save about $200 over the course of the five-year deal with Groot.

The new contract breaks a long-term relationship with Republic Services, which as been operating in the village for 12 years. Several of the company’s employees who are also residents of Oswego came before the board Tuesday to lobby on their employer’s behalf.

“For me this was a price-based issue,” said Trustee Scott Volpe on switching providers. “When I looked at the bids closely I found that seniors would not be seeing any savings with Republic. In fact, they would be feeling the brunt of a 4 percent increase over five years.”

Trustees Judy Sollinger and Gail Johnson both voted against the new contract, arguing that it is important to keep good relationships with vendors, and Republic has been an active part of the community.

“I think whatever vendor we choose we’ll have a wonderful relationship,” Johnson said. “… However, as a business owner. I really value the relationship you have with a vendor. To change for change sakes is never a good idea.”

George Stenitzer, chairman of the village’s ECO commission, has been a vocal proponent of the village limiting the amount of trash residents can throw away as a way to encourage even more recycling. He appeared before the board again Tuesday night, arguing that Option C would actually be the cheapest for residents.

In that option, which had received little or no support from trustees, residents would have been limited to a 33-gallon, 65-gallon or 96-gallon toter each week with stickers required for extra trash.

Trustees again pointed to a garbage survey conducted last year that revealed 86 percent of those who answered were satisfied with their current service and 97 percent of them already recycle.

With the new contract, recycling bins used by residents now will have to be switched out. Volpe also asked Groot to provide residents with an option for a waste toter, as well, though one will not be required.