(2/18) At its February 14 meeting, the Taneytown City Council approved the awarding of a number of city service contracts.

The city’s five-year solid waste and recycling service contract was again awarded to Ecology Services, the city’s current solid waste and recycling service company. Ecology Service’s winning bid was for $1,541,729.

Prior to renewing the contract Mayor Bradley Wantz acknowledged the City has received several complaints from residents regarding the performance of the company, but said he believed "if we’re comfortable with the price presented and the fact that they have remedied a lot of the issues as they’ve come up," we should continue with them.

Wantz said a complaint tracking system is being developed through the Public Works and IT Departments to track and resolve future complaints, not only against Ecology Services, but for other issues related to City staff and contractor performance.

The City, Wantz said, is also working to be more proactive in issuing penalties as necessary, and the public works director would also be available to address council concerns related to performance issues should the need arise.

Wantz said the City and Ecology Services are committed to working together to improve solid waste and recycling service performance. "I think we’ve got a good plan together at this point…I always like to hope with a fair shake, things can improve."

In addition to the solid waste and recycling service contract, the City Council also awarded a three-year office cleaning services contract to MultiCorp in the amount of $17,185/year.

The City’s street sweeping contract was awarded to Riley Sweeping. Under the contract, the company will be paid $198/mile for sweeping the City’s roads.

The City’s biosolids hauling and disposal was awarded to Synagro Central in the amount of $49.10 /ton for land application or $190/ton for landfill disposal. The City’s biosolids primarily come from the City’s wastewater treatment facility.

The city also awarded a contract to Mid-Atlantic Asphalt for the Memorial Park tennis and basketball court improvements in the amount of $84,870. The project includes installing new acrylic surfaces on the tennis courts, including adapting one for pickleball, and the basketball court. The project is completely funded through a Maryland Department of the Environment's Program Open Space grant. Mid-Atlantic will be scheduling the work as the weather warms up enough to perform the asphalt and acrylic surfacing.