A dozen Byrnes Mill residents were happy when they left a Dec. 6 Board of Alderpersons public hearing after board members renewed a contract with American Eagle Waste, the city’s current trash collection provider.
Before the board members voted 5-0 to extend its contract with American Eagle, the residents urged the board members to continue contracting with American Eagle, and many of the residents railed against fellow bidder Meridian Waste, the only other company that submitted a bid for the contract.
Ward 3 Alderwoman Nicole Pettis was absent from the meeting.
The city sought bids for the contract because American Eagle Waste is raising monthly rates. It will phase in the increase, raising the rate from $20 to $22 a month in 2024 and then raising the rate to $25 in 2025, according to the new contract.
“If you like what you have today, you’re going to have to pay $25,” Bryan Barcom, co-owner of American Eagle Waste, said at the public hearing. “In order for American Eagle to do this and be competitive, this is where we are. Four years ago, a gallon of fuel was less, dump fees were less, everything was less.”
According to city documents, Meridian Waste would have charged Byrnes Mill $21.32 per month.
However, the nearly $4 difference in cost was not enough to sway residents at the meeting to support a contract with Meridian Waste, and members of the Board agreed.
“I’ve been stopped in the grocery store by residents who wanted to say they were very satisfied with American Eagle, and I wanted to make sure we considered that,” Ward 3 Alderwoman Mary Scheble said.
Mayor Rob Kiczenksi said at the meeting that American Eagle is a courteous company with excellent customer service.
“There was one time I called Bryan (Barcom) to say, ‘Hey I goofed up and didn’t get (my trash can) out in time,’ and he sent a truck back for it,” Kiczenski said. “I understand rates are going to increase but I would encourage everybody to take advantage of the discount rates they offer.”
According to city documents, American Eagle Waste offers a 10 percent discount for senior citizens.
City Clerk Melinda Benedict said the city wanted to allow residents to weigh in before a new contract was awarded.
“The residents present at the public hearing were very vocal about how happy they were with (American Eagle’s) service, and that really drives a lot of the board’s decisions,” Kiczenski said.
According to the city’s website, American Eagle Waste has been Byrnes Mill’s single trash hauling company since Aug. 1, 2019. The company services St. Louis County, Green Park, Sunset Hills and Jefferson County.
Meridian Waste is headquartered in North Carolina and has trash collection services in Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Ward 1 Alderman Glenn LaVenture said the transfer to the new contract should be seamless, and residents should not notice a change in their trash collection services, except for their monthly billing.
“Nothing in this city is going to change except the prices,” Barcom said.