Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council on Monday approved a request for proposals for its expiring city sanitation service franchise, with an aim to increase its services to the recycling of containers and yard waste. Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said the request for proposals is limiting its acceptance of bids to only companies “that are currently doing business in Amador County, so that they know the winding streets that they will have to go down.” The current trash hauling service contract expires in June. The request for proposals details the service desired by the city, including that the company must supply containers and pick up of household containers for recycling and also household yard waste for recycling. Sutter Creek resident and City Clerk Judy Allen asked if the alternating service meant that recycling would be picked up every 2 weeks. Rabe said that was the case, and household containers would be picked up every other week, alternating weekly with the yard waste service. Allen said today she has 2 bags of recycling and half a bag of garbage. Rabe said customers would get a choice of the size of container they are going to use for trash and recycling. One man asked if it would be the same rate for people like himself who composted their own yard waste. Rabe said the rate would be all-inclusive, but “yard waste weighs a lot” and the more they are able to divert from the landfill, the more diversion credit the city gets. City Manager Rob Duke said positive aspect would be that “everybody has the chance to recycle.” He said commodity prices at present “are nothing – you literally have to pay people to come and pick up things.” The council passed the request for proposals, 5-0. The proposal lists an award date of April 20th, but the date could be changed by the city. Story by Jim Reece (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).