By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

The Queen Creek residential rate for solid waste, recycling and bulk-waste services is to remain at the current rate of $16.22 for fiscal year 2020-21 in an agreement approved with Right Away Disposal.

The business, which is the town’s current waste and recycling service provider, will receive $2,662,459 in the first- of a seven-year agreement for Queen Creek residential and town facilities services.

“Speaking for everyone here at RAD, we truly look forward to our continued partnership if awarded,” Bart Powell, Right Away Disposal division vice president, said in a recent letter to the town.

The Town Council approved a July 1, 2020-June 30, 2027 agreement with Right Away Disposal, which can be renewed for an additional three-year term, as part of a recent meeting’s consent agenda.

Funding totaling $2,662,459 has been budgeted within the fiscal year 2020-21 solid-waste enterprise operating fund for the first year of the contract. The amount reflects an increase of $638,000 compared to the fiscal year 2019-20 budgeted amount of $2,024,317, Troy White, public works director, said in a memo to the council.

“(T)his cost increase will be supported by program growth. No rate increases are being proposed or recommended in FY20/21. Any future rate increases or contract amendments will be brought before the council for discussion and approval,” he said.

The new contract rate from Right Away Disposal will be supported by account growth associated with new housing starts in fiscal year 2020-21, expected to be about 1,200 new households; and from the Encanterra annexation, which will add approximately 1,800 households, he said.

Request for proposals

Town staff members initiated and issued a request for proposals for the services in October, with proposals due in November. Three were received --- from Right Away Disposal, Waste Management and Republic Services, Mr. White said.

“An evaluation committee was convened shortly thereafter and the final staff recommendation was presented to council at the executive session on Jan. 19, 2020, during which staff received direction from council to continue with negotiations with the recommended vendor, which is Right Away Disposal,” he said.

The evaluation and final recommendation were based on three scoring categories --- cost; method of approach, including disposal, collection, cart management, safety, etc.; and firm and staff qualifications.

Additionally, the respondents submitted proposals with associated costs for four service options:

• Current services --- same-day trash/recycling; once-a-month bulk collection; contractor-provided cart management; reduced residential self-haul; special events --- Earth Day, America Recycles Day and Christmas trees; and residential optional services, such as animal-waste collection, temporary discontinuance and exemptions.
• Every-other-week recycling.
• Quarterly bulk.
• Every-other-week recycling and quarterly bulk.

“Other service options requested by the town in the RFP were curbside green waste collection and at-your-door household hazardous waste collection; however, none of the respondents currently provide, or were interested in providing, these services,” Mr. White said in the memo.

“Based on the scoring categories above and subsequent site visit and interview, town staff recommend the residential and town facilities solid-waste services agreement be awarded to Right Away Disposal under the current --- status quo --- service option package for residential services,” he said.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

rdyer@iniusa.org

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.