By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Williston City Council members Tuesday voted unanimously to begin contract negotiations with Green for Life (GFL), highest scoring bidder among three garbage collection companies.

            GFL, formerly known as WCA, would begin collecting garbage from city residential and commercial customers on June 1 if contract negotiations are successful.

            The company would replace Waste Pro, the city’s garbage collection company since 2017.

            City Manager Jackie Gorman said all three companies submitted outstanding proposals but GFL was selected by a three-member committee based on scoring requirements.

            A summary of bidding numbers shows residential garbage customers would receive a slight reduction in their bills if GFL is selected as the city garbage collection contractor, with monthly rates dropping from the current $12.89 with Waste Pro to $11.92 with GFL.

            Waste Pro and Florida Express Environmental challenged the city’s scoring system, saying they submitted the better bid but weren’t chosen for the contract.

            Waste Pro spokeswoman Dayna Miller said the COVID-19 Pandemic reduced an already thin labor force for Waste Pro. She said the Pandemic also forced people to stay at home, increasing waste loads and causing more trips to the landfill and rising costs.

            “The national driver shortage turned into a drought,” she said. “The levy-Gilchrist-Dixie County labor pool was already very limited and became very shallow.”

            Miller said Waste Pro compared GFL’s pricing numbers to Waste Pro’s garbage collection prices in Williston and found little difference.

            “What we found out is our pricing is almost identical. It is less than $300 a month difference, in $45,000 a month billing,” she said.

            John Paglia, III, president of Florida Express Environmental said his company submitted the lowest bid and the only bid with a locked-in rate to eliminate future price increases.

            He said his company submitted a lower commercial rate than GFL and he said GFL’s open-ended residential yard waste charge offers an opportunity for the company to raise prices and erase any savings.

            Skip McCall of GFL, formerly WCA, said the company operates in 27 states and has 15,000 employees.

            He said the company was founded in Ontario, Canada, which means it is Canada-based as the other bidders noted, but he said corporate headquarters are in Raleigh, N.C.

            McCall also noted that GFL serves Bronson, Williston’s closest neighbor.

—————

City of Williston Regular Meeting April 20, 2021; Posted April 20, 2021