The Apache Junction Unified School District has changed its contractor for solid waste and recycling services and is to save as much as $12,000 a year.
The AJUSD governing board voted unanimously Oct. 28 to approve a three-year service agreement with Green and Blue Waste Solutions LLC, also known as Waste Connections of Arizona.
Republic Services had provided the work but was not under contract by the district, according to a discussion in the minutes of the board’s Oct. 14 work session.
The change was sought after AJUSD’s previous waste hauler increased its costs, Board President Dena Kimble said before the vote.
“Charges from the current waste-service provider increased by approximately 70% from the previous year. Because the district did not have a signed contract in place, bids were solicited from multiple vendors. After careful evaluation, Green and Blue Waste Solutions was selected as the most cost-effective option,” she said.
The change is expected to save the district $10,000 to $12,000 annually, she said.
“We should take the deal,” AJUSD Superintendent Robert Pappalardo said before the vote.
Total costs per month include a $150 fee for a Green and Blue Waste Solutions consult and account manager fee and $6,112.43 for commercial frontload service, it states in a proposal overview document.
Separate customer service agreement documents from Waste Connections of Arizona show the cost and frequency of pickups at AJUSD locations such as the cafeteria, concession stand, gym, transportation and maintenance yard at Apache Junction High School; the elementary schools; The Early Learning Center; and the junior high school.
AJUSD has three elementary schools; a K-5 school designed to provide students with a traditional, liberal arts education; a junior high school; and a high school. The district boundaries run from Meridian Road on the west to the town of Queen Valley on the east and from the Goldfield Mountains to the north, south into the San Tan Corridor. Communities served include Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, Peralta Trail, Queen Valley and unincorporated Pinal County land in-between.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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