Waste Agency Makes Its Pitch to Windsor Locks for New Agreement

Windsor Locks selectmen are considering proposals from the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority for the town’s trash disposal when the current contract with agency
expires in 2012.

Representatives from the quasi-public agency presented the four options to the board of selectmen at its meeting Tuesday. Windsor Locks’ current municipal service agreement with CRRA began in 1993 and will expire in November 2012, officials said.

With the contract expiring for a number of municipalities in central Connecticut at the same time, the Capitol Region Council of Governments formed the Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority to solicit proposals from service providers including CRRA to consider.

Tom Kirk, president of CRRA, said the agency encourages the towns to look at the options available to them but asks that they make a decision by July 1, so the CRRA can make sure its facility is the right size to serve it client base.

“We believe frankly we have the best value for most towns, Kirk said.

The agency has presented four options:

• Tier 1 Short-term agreement: $63 per ton tipping fee; guaranteed available until July 1; five-year term; an opt-out clause if tipping fee goes above pre-determined price; and no per-ton service fee discount.

• Tier 1 Long-term: $61 per ton tipping fee; guaranteed available through July 1; 15-year term; an opt-out clause if tipping fee goes above pre-determined price; and a $2 per ton service fee discount.

• Tier 2 Contract: $65 per ton; guaranteed available from July 1 through November 15, 2012; three-year term; a minimum tonnage commitment; a per tonnage cap; no opt-out clause if tipping fee goes above a pre-determined price; and a $2 per ton service fee discount.

• Tier 3 Contract: similar to Tier 1 Long-term option, except no opt-out clause if tipping fee goes above a pre-determined price.

The agency is recommending the Tier 1, Long-term option, Ronald E. Gingerich, development, environmental compliance and IT manager for CRRA, said.

"Basically, it's a worry-free (agreement) for the town," Gingerich said.

The agency takes trash from its central Connecticut communities to its facility in Hartford where it’s burned to drive steam turbines which produce electricity that is sold to Connecticut Light & Power, Gingerich said.

The agency takes in 750,000 tons a year, about 14 percent of that can’t be burned and is taken to a private landfill in Chicopee, Mass. When the burning of the majority of the trash is burned, it leaves about 150,000 tons of ash, which is taken to another private landfill in Putnam, Gingerich said.

In 2010, Windsor Locks sent 9,190 tons of municipal waste to CRRA. Of that 5,060 tons were billed to the town at $69 per ton, costing about $350,000. The town sent 1,100 tons in recyclables to the facility, for which Windsor Locks got a $5 per ton rebate, Gingerich said.

Kirk said the agency is able to reduce the tipping fee because of such things as the bonds that paid for building the facility are retiring, the agency will no longer be linmited to selling electricity at 3 cents per kilowatt, and will have a new operator contract.

First Selectman Steven N. Wawruck Jr. said any agreement beyond one year has to be approved by town meeting. Hearing the information now, gives the town time to consider it before the July 1 deadline, he said.

The board did not ask questions about the proposals Tuesday, Selectman Joseph Calsetta said there may be questions once they discuss the proposals.