New Paltz Town and village officials now have a contract from County Waste, the company from which the low bid to be the sole provider of residential garbage pickup in New Paltz was received. While they hadn’t had time to approve it prior to their joint meeting on March 14, they did invite company representative Chris Harrison to discuss it with them.
“We can’t talk about this too much,” said Mayor Tim Rogers, noting that many residents are focused on their own lives and miss these decisions of import. If the contract is signed, New Paltz residents who wish to have curbside pickup will have to get it through County Waste, with promised savings of more than $10 per month. No one will be required to participate, however.
The area of greatest concern is one of customer satisfaction, since no one would be able to choose a competitor. To that end, there will be a dedicated phone line for addressing these issues, and company officials will have to compile a report on complaints and submit it monthly. If issues are not immediately resolved, they will be addressed to Harrison, and each board will have a garbage liaison as well. An early-cancellation clause for poor service is also being considered.
Noting that there is some suspicion about whether or not recyclables actually get recycled through this company, Mayor Rogers suggested a “touch a truck” event to allow residents to familiarize themselves with how materials are separated inside.
Join the family! 
