07/02/02]Vicksburg residents could be getting new garbage containers as part of a new plan for household waste collection throughout the city.

Officials accepted six proposals Monday for solid waste collection, rubbish collection and rubbish disposal.

The request for proposals from the city included issuing uniform garbage cans to each home, a practice common here in the past and in Warren County and other communities today.

“Go down any city street on trash day and there’s garbage everywhere,” said Mayor Laurence Leyens.

The containers would have hinged lids and hold 96 gallons. Leyens said they would reduce the amount of overflow that contributes to litter.

The new containers would cost about $45 each and the first one would be provided as part of the regular service fee of $11.05 per month. How that could affect the cost to city taxpayers in the future was not clear.

The residential fee covers garbage collection twice a week and rubbish collection (tree limbs, leaves and grass clippings) once a week. Garbage is collected by Waste Management of Mississippi Inc., and rubbish is now collected by city crews. There are no local garbage dumps, so a separate contract covers hauling garbage to a sanitary landfill.

Proposals indicate only the amounts the bidder will charge the city for basic rates. Proposals include a variety of options including garbage collection only, rubbish collection only, garbage and rubbish collection together and disposal of rubbish.

The current contract expires Oct. 31.

“One of the reasons we got this so early is so that we will have those numbers for budget time,” said Paul Rogers, city strategic planner.

Another aspect of the proposals that will affect the final cost to taxpayers is the charge for disposal of rubbish. Today, tree limbs and other yard clippings are taken to the landfill off Jeff Davis Road on land owned by W.T. “Billy” Ewell.

Ewell and his partners proposed a rate increase of 15 cents per cubic feet. Two other proposed rates for disposal were based on tonnage.

Rogers said his office will be comparing proposals this week and will make a recommendation to the board. State law allows municipalities to choose the lowest and best bid and allows city officials to negotiate with bidders.

This week, garbage collection in the city will run as scheduled on Thursday, but will be rescheduled for Monday for residents outside the municipal limits due to the Fourth of July holiday.