WINDSOR – A second waste disposal service may be making a bid to maintain the trash convenience centers in Bertie County and other vendors can submit their own maintenance proposals by early next month.

At the regular monthly meeting of the county’s Board of Commissioners in Windsor on Monday, Matt East, Division Manager, and Josephine Aiken, Municipal Services Manager – both with Republic Services – made a presentation on an offer to be considered to compete for the new contract to maintain the county’s five solid waste and recycling convenience centers.

The Commissioners are currently reviewing the proposed six-year extension of the county’s Solid Waste and Recyclables Collection and Disposal Agreement with Waste Industries, operators of the five convenience centers.  The current Waste Industries agreement is due to expire on June 30, 2015.

In August, Waste Industries formally requested to extend their current maintence agreement with no changes in terms or conditions.

Republic Services operates the East Carolina Environmental Landfill located near Aulander.

“These two groups have gone head-to-head (bidding to be a service provider) in the past so this isn’t really unusual,” said County Manager Scott Sauer in a telephone interview.

Sauer went on to say proposals are due 30 days from the date of the meeting, or Nov. 6.

This also comes at a time when a public hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 16 at the County Courthouse in Windsor to receive feedback from the public regarding the contract extension with Waste Industries for the convenience sites.

The public hearing was unanimously approved by the Commissioners back during their September meeting on a motion by Commissioner Rick Harrell.

During discussion Commissioner Ronald D. “Ron” Wesson stated that a curbside garbage pick-up program would be less expensive to the county than the current convenience sites.

A public hearing to gauge citizen input on curbside versus convenience sites was held last spring, though nothing was decided.

At the September meeting, Harrell vowed to argue for the contract extension with Waste Industries for the convenience sites, saying he wanted the Board to consider the extension prior to his, Chairman J. Wallace Perry, and Vice-chairman Charles Smith, leaving office when their terms expire at the end of this year.

After more debate and spirited discussion among the board members over whether the decision on an extension should be left to the upcoming Board versus the outgoing Board, the public hearing was voted upon and scheduled for the 16th at 7 p.m.

While Waste Industries’ new proposal has not been finalized in their request for proposals (RFPs), it is believed to be a five-year extension from June 2015 to June 2020.

Sauer said the Republic Industries proposal for operation of the convenience centers could be for a period longer than five years (maybe 10 or more), but for now that has not been determined.

Any other private sector vendors who would like to construct, manage, and operate the five convenience centers may apply at the County Manager’s office in Windsor on Dundee Street.

The CountyManager will also be holding a pre-proposal conference at his office on Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. to clarify and answer questions to anyone submitting an application.

Applications may also be submitted by mail to the County Manager’s Office to the attention of the Clerk to the Board, PO Box 530, Windsor, NC 27983.