Yorktown Facing Large Increase in Garbage Pickup Costs
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The Yorktown Town Board is currently on summer recess, but when it gathers again in September it will have its hands full dealing with a new garbage contract that will include a “significant” cost increase and possible reduction in services.
“It’s a crazy kind of situation to be in, but it’s a sign of the times,” Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater said in an interview with Examiner Media Saturday. “It’s my main focus right now.”
The town’s current five-year contract with AAA Carting of Cortlandt expires at the end of the year. Yorktown has paid AAA $2 million annually since 2018.
When Yorktown went out to bid earlier this year on two occasions, AAA was the lone bidder. While Slater would not publicly reveal the bid, he said the price hike over the existing deal was “significant,” noting it included an increase each of the five years. The current contract has a locked-in price.
Slater said the town expected to pay more for its garbage removal with the Town of Carmel experiencing about a 45% increase from AAA last year. However, he admitted he was surprised no other garbage haulers made a bid.
“It’s a difficult situation,” he said. “Everyone is getting slammed right now. AAA was very clear they would have to raise costs because of fuel, parts and other expenses going up. Unfortunately, we’re on the receiving end of it.”
AAA currently provides Yorktown residents with two days of garbage pickup and one day of recyclable material removal.
Slater said the Town Board will be exploring all options, including doing a cost analysis on how much savings switching to once-a-week garbage pickup would produce.
He emphasized not raising taxes was a top priority for town officials.
“Personally, I don’t believe raising taxes in always the answer,” said Slater, a Republican, who is the frontrunner in his race to win a seat on the New York State Assembly in November.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
