'Steep' Hinsdale Hikes In Trash Service Prices

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale residents are in line to see "steep" increases in the cost of their garbage service, an official said Tuesday.

At Tuesday's Village Board meeting, trustees reviewed a three-year proposed agreement with the village's longtime trash hauler, Phoenix-based Republic Services.

Under the contract, nearly 90 percent of residents would see 4.3. percent increases annually for the next three years, or $12 a year. These residents choose to get their garbage picked up curbside twice a week.

Small fractions of residents get curbside pickup twice a week or backdoor collection. They will see considerably larger increases. Officials said elderly and disabled residents are eligible for discounts for backdoor pickup.

In a letter to the village, Republic said the recent 3 percent annual increases have not kept pace with hikes in the costs of providing services.

At the meeting, Village President Tom Cauley said he wanted the village to go out to bid before the next contract ends in three years.

"Four percent is a pretty stiff increase. I'd like to check this against the market by going out for proposals. We just didn't have the time," he said. "We were just not in the position to do that this year, so we renewed this."

He also said it was complicated changing companies, with current haulers who know the streets and the people. Republic, which has provided trash services locally since 2007, has done a good job, he said.

"A majority of residents will see an increase of $12 per year," Cauley said. "As an absolute amount, it's not that much... But I do think this is a rather steep increase."

The goal was to get the lowest increase possible for the greatest percentage of residents, he said.

The village looked at Republic's prices for 95-gallon containers in Elmhurst, Downers Grove and Addison and found Hinsdale was within $1 of the average rate of the other towns.

The Village Board is set to vote on the proposed contract in a couple of weeks.