Mahomet board updated on landscape waste disposal, recycling

MAHOMET Village trustees got an update this week on when a landscape waste drop-off site might be available to Mahomet residents.

With two-year contracts about to expire, trustees voted to advertise for bids for the leaf and limb pickup programs.

Both contracts were awarded to Mahomet Landscapes two years ago and expire in April.

Leaf disposal costs the village about $6,000 per year. The contract for limb and yard waste pickup, with its labor and equipment costs, is pricier the previous contract was not to exceed $11,875 for each of six yearly collections.

But officials say those costs are likely to go up, as more residents opt to leave their brush on the curb for pickup. More participants mean more work hours and more material to process.

"The good news is that more people are using the program," Public Works Director Gary LaForge said. "The bad news is that it's costing more."

Village Administrator Patrick Brown said each collection could reach $13,000, as well as budgeting for an additional special collection in case of a strong storm.

LaForge and Brown presented several options for the next two-year contract, but the one that trustees opted to approve was for five scheduled pickups, plus additional funding for the proposed drop-off site at the new public works facility on Lake of the Woods Road.

LaForge said the drop-off could be available by April, depending on how soon gates can be installed at the site.

Public Works staff plan to make the manned drop-off available at scheduled times each month, possibly a Saturday morning.

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Mahomet board updated on landscape waste disposal, recycling