Yorktown Chooses New Garbage Collection Service

YORKTOWN, NY — A new contractor will take over Yorktown’s garbage and recycling service to residents beginning in January.

The Town Board recently voted to give a five-year contract to Competitive Carting, which was the lowest responsible bidder, according to town officials.

Yorktown will pay Competitive $3.5 million in 2023, with an escalating rate rising to $4 million in 2027.

The contract also contains an option to extend the agreement for three years.

Town officials said Competitive’s contract will save taxpayers $1.5 million in the first five years and up to $2.5 million in savings if the town opts to renew each of the one-year renewals to 2027.

Yorktown issued four rounds of requests for bids to reduce garbage-collection costs. Competitive Carting came in $600,000 lower than bids from previous rounds that would have reduced garbage pickups to once a week.

Supervisor Matt Slater said the staff’s persistence paid off, working to find ways to reduce costs while maintaining the current level of service.

“We knew the cost of the contract was going to increase for several reasons including the current economic conditions that our nation is facing,” he said, “but the result was the best we could have hoped for.”

The first bid considered by the board would have doubled the current contract from $2 million to $4 million. That bid was rejected.

More proposals were received, including reducing garbage pickup to once a week for $4.1 million.

The town said that, throughout the process, the goal was for homeowners to continue to have garbage collection twice a week.

Garbage and recycling service is paid by the town’s refuse district. The estimated increase for homeowners is $2.65 per week or $138 for the year. This initial increase is due to the contract increasing from $2 million to $3.5 million in 2023. The 2024 contract will increase to $3.6 million.

In response to a question from Patch, Slater said the town staff’s diligence included scrutinizing the winning bidder’s present and future garbage truck inventory, personnel records, hauling license, truck storage yard and invoices and other documents. Staff also had a conversation with the awardee’s landlord.

“At the end of this process, the Town Board chose the lowest responsible bidder,” he said.

Competitive Carting is a family-owned business located in Mahopac, according to town officials. It performs garbage removal in many communities in northern Westchester and southern Putnam counties.