New Falls refuse and recycling contractor takes part in community event
Apr. 18—There were Department of Public Works trucks, a fire truck, and even a police emergency response truck complete with armored plating.
But of all the trucks staged in the parking lot at the Harry F. Abate Elementary School Thursday afternoon, one that really stood out was a navy blue compactor with "Casella" emblazoned on the side. It was the first chance for Falls residents to get a glimpse of the trucks that will begin picking up their garbage and recyclables beginning May 1.
"They will have more (collection) trucks in the field than we've previously had," Mayor Robert Restaino said of Casella, the city's new provider of "refuse and recycling collection, processing and disposal services." "So we're off to a good start."
The company, which Falls officials have said promotes itself as "customer focused and environmentally friendly," staged its Touch A Truck event as a way to begin building new relationships with residents who have not always had the highest opinion of their garbage collector.
"We're looking to hit the ground running," said Casella's Strategic Account Manager Steve Hannon. "Our job is not to worry about what came before us, but focus on what we can control and take care of residents."
Started by two brothers in Rutland, Vermont, as a one-truck waste hauling service, Casella has evolved into one of the largest refuse collection and waste management companies in the northeastern United States.
"We take pride in managing materials and managing them the right way," Hannon said. "
The contract between Casella and the Falls will run for five years and can be extended "by mutual agreement" one time for an additional two-year period. The deal replaces an expiring, decades-old contract with Modern Disposal Services.
The Lewiston-based company had handled trash and recycling collection in the Falls since the late 1990s.
Casella was one of three bidders, including Modern, for the city contract. Restaino said the city's Purchasing Division and the city controller both recommended that Casella be awarded the bid.
A summary of the Casella contract, provided to the Falls City Council, pegs the first year cost of the deal at $4.8 million. Sources tell the Gazette that the Casella contract will save taxpayers "a couple of million dollars" compared to the Modern Disposal bid.
The mayor has characterized the Casella contract as "much more in line with our refuse fee" revenue.
The city charges residents a solid waste disposal or "user" fee to offset the cost of having a private company handle garbage and recyclable collections. The fee, established in 2019 at $181 a year, is billed directly to property owners and must be reauthorized every year as part of the city's budget approval process.
Casella is not projecting any change in "scheduled services" in the city. However, it will introduce an app that will allow residents to track their services more closely.
"The app allows residents to follow the collection schedule and receive alerts about changes in that schedule," Restaino said. "It's designed to be user-friendly and put power in the hands of our residents."
Casella said a mailing to all city residents will explain how to download and use the app.
