Connelly Inc. to operate recycling center

The months-long process of awarding a contract for operation of a local recycling recovery center came to a close Monday evening.

The Jefferson County Service Agency unanimously awarded the contract to low-bidder Connelly Inc. Connelly submitted a $44,500 per year bid on the 42-month contract. A bid of $53,578.80 annually also was submitted by Waste Management.

Following Jefferson County Attorney Tim Dille?s review of the two bids, Fairfield City Councilwoman Susan Silvers asked whether the agency was obligated to accept the low bid.

?I?ve seen low bids turned down if there?s some question about satisfaction with the service, some question about whether they can provide the service, some question about something else understood in the agreement, but the agreements are identical. This thing?s been discussed so much there shouldn?t be any question everybody understood,? answered Fairfield City Attorney John Morrissey.

?If we reject the low bid, we have to have a good valid reason,? Fairfield City Councilman Ray Mottet said.

?Something you think should hold up in court anyway. You always open yourself up to lawsuit,? said Jefferson County Supervisor Dick Reed.

After accepting the low bid, the service agency agreed to divide the contract 60-40, with the city paying $26,700 annually and the county paying $17,800 annually.

Later Monday night, Mottet reported on the contract to the full city council. He said Connelly intends to convert one of the buildings at its Gear Avenue site into the public recycling center.

?I?m a little concerned because it?s adjacent to a residential neighborhood, whereas the other facility is not,? said councilman John Revolinski. Although the company already operates at that location, Revolinski said the new contract will increase traffic and potentially impact quality of life.

?We?ve been working on this contract since September,? Silvers said. ?We?ve had nine, 10 meetings. It?s been publicized. We?ve talked about it, and no community members came forth to share any concerns or anything with us. I think there?s been ample time if somebody really had a concern to express that to us.?

For the complete article and photo, see the Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.