Woolwich selectmen awarded Riverside Disposal the town’s solid waste contract Monday night, Mar. 7. The Chelsea-based company submitted the lower of two bids for the one-year contract that includes curbside trash and single-stream recycling pickup.

Riverside Disposal’s bid included $92,799 for weekly curbside pickup, with a tipping fee of $57.85 per ton, and $31,542 for recycling pickup. The other bidder was Pine Tree Waste, Inc. (Casella Waste Systems, Inc.), the town’s present waste hauler. The three-year contract with Pine Tree Waste ends this spring.

Pine Tree Waste submitted a bid of $93,699 for weekly curbside pickup, with a tipping fee of $75 per ton and $37,648 for recycling pickup. Included within Pine Tree’s bid was a $28 per ton charge for processing single-stream recycling.

Riverside Disposal didn’t include a fixed tonnage charge for processing recycling. The firm indicated the amount could run from $23.41 to $35 per ton due to volatility within the recycling market. The town doesn’t currently pay a tipping fee for recycling processing.

Selectman Dale Chadbourne said not knowing for certain what Riverside Disposal would charge for recycling tonnage could be a problem. “How do we know for sure what to budget?” he asked.

Fred Kahrl, chairman of the solid waste and recycling committee, said Riverside Disposal was low enough on its other prices that it didn’t matter. “There’s a big savings by going with them. It’s a long shot that tipping fees for recycling would exceed that,” he said.

Before voting unanimously to award the contract, the board compiled numbers for both bids and determined it was cheaper to go with Riverside Disposal.

“Even using the worst-case scenario for the recycling tipping fee, we’d still be realizing a savings by going with Riverside Disposal,” Selectman Allison Hepler told the newspaper afterward. The amount was estimated at $190,260. Last year, Woolwich raised $230,550 for solid waste disposal.

Mowing bid awarded

The board awarded the mowing contract to Ralph and Vicki Jones of Jefferson, owners of Lawns and More. Their price of $2,350 was the lower of two bids received.

Solar project to be discussed

At 5 p.m., March 21 selectmen will hear a proposal for constructing a solar array at the town’s former landfill. David King Sr., board chairman, said a representative from Sundog Solar of Searsport will make the presentation at the town office. “I’d encourage any resident who’s interested to attend the meeting,” he said.

Other business

Selectmen renewed a liquor license for the Montsweag Roadhouse on Route 1. They reappointed Bruce Engert code enforcement officer and named Arlene Whitney to four town committees: the monument, cemetery, road and agricultural/forest committees. Town Administrator Lynette Eastman was appointed Freedom of Access Officer.

Selectmen renewed the town’s auditing contract with Juanita Wilson in the amount of $20,100.

Fire department donation

Acting Fire Chief Geoff McCarren said the department had received a donation of $400 from Fred Kahrl.

McCarren said the department had responded to four recent motor vehicle accidents, a fuel spill at Cumberland Farms and provided mutual aid to the Westport Fire Department during a home fire there.

Julia Gillespie, acting EMS director, noted ambulance personnel had completed their yearly re-certification training.