FENWICK ISLAND – Fenwick Island has extended its contract with a waste removal company at a cost of more than $146,000 after failing to receive other bids earlier this summer.
Last Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted unanimously to extend an existing contract with Waste Industries of Delaware another three years.
Town Manager Terry Tieman said the town had bid out its waste removal and recycling collection services in July, but did not receive any responses. She explained Waste Industries had then expressed an interested in extending its contract, which was reviewed and modified by the town solicitor.
“Staff believes that the proposal is fair and fits within our fiscal year 2021 budget,” Tieman told the council last week. “We believe avoiding the additional expense of time, advertising and initial learning curve of a new contractor are also a benefit.”
When asked if there would be additional costs, Tieman said there would be a 3% increase in the contract.
“It increases $4,276 annually …,” she said. “We have enough budgeted to cover that increase. We knew if we bid it there could be an increase and most likely would. The required expenditure is $146,842 and the amount budgeted is $153,000 for the expense.”
With no further discussion, the council voted unanimously to approve a three-year extension with Waste Industries at a cost of $146,842.
The council last week also approved the purchase of a new heat pump system for the beach patrol room. The new HVAC equipment will replace a failing mini split system installed in 2012.
“Now we have to replace it because the unit that we have is discontinued and the motherboard is discontinued,” Tieman said.
Instead of purchasing another mini split system, Tieman recommended the installation of a heat pump. While the quote for the system came in at $9,780, she said extensive wiring would add another $2,500 to the cost.
“The mini split would have been $6,800,” she told the council. “It’s around double the cost. But in the long run I believe we’ll get double the length of time out of it and it will be much more dependable and reliable.”
