Carson City Landfill future is up in air

The future of the Carson City landfill is up in the air because of problems with bids to operate it.

The bid problems put on hold a potential raise in dumping rates but prolong inefficient operation of the landfill.

Although several contractors were interested in the city's plan for the landfill, only two bid on the seven-year contract to run the landfill. The lowest bidder of the two contractors doesn't have a contractor's license and must be rejected. The second contractor, Delong Construction and Drilling, bid more than $35.6 million for seven years. Refuse Inc., the low bidder, bid $19 million for seven years, a price tag which fell closer to the city's budget.

The landfill only takes about $1.4 million a year to operate, and Daren Winkelman, Carson City environmental health director, said he expected the bids to come in around $2 million a year.

"There are considerable discrepancies in the bids, but there's nothing we can do about that," Winkelman said. "There's no way to find out why they bid so high."

Deputy Health Director Ken Arnold said the city has 60 days to make a decision, but city officials are examining whether to reject the bids and rebid the proposal or perhaps look toward other options for managing the landfill. Arnold said assuming everything goes well, the city is at least 90 days away from finding a new operator.

"Right now there is no effect," Winkelman said. "The landfill is operating as is. Without a contractor on board, things aren't being operated as efficiently as they could considering we have a new design plan.

"Each day that we don't make a decision, we're almost losing space up there. We need to get an operator up there as soon as possible."

Carson City paid $62,000 for consultant SECOR International to help define the bid guidelines as well as assist the city in choosing a contractor.

The city is trying to find a better way to manage the landfill in an attempt to prolong its life. Now Carson residents can expect to dump their garbage, or have Capital Sanitation dump their garbage, in Carson City for about 15 years. With the new plan, city officials hope the landfill can handle trash for up to 25 years.

Without the life extension to the landfill, Carson trash would have to be transported elsewhere, which equals a huge increase in rates. However, rates will increase when the city finds a new contractor to help pay for the closing costs of the landfill.