It is anticipated that Cherry Hill residents will save $190,000 in the next three years in tonnage rates, said Mayor Chuck Cahn, of the $1,311,900 in total that will be saved in municipalities throughout the county.
Mayor Cahn was on hand at the Camden County Environmental Center to explain the shared service agreement between 35 governments for trash disposal.
“We’re working hard to get our tonnage down,” he said, pointing out that the township was originally looking at a cost of $72.50 per ton.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2013 after the current contract ends, the township will pay $59 per ton.
The agreement will begin next month in other towns and affect 224,000 homes in the county.
“Municipalities and counties working together to bring down costs is a benefit to all towns operating under a 2 percent cap,” Bill Dressel, executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities said in a statement. “Innovative thinking and shared services will allow mayors more flexibility with their finances and provide our executives with the ability to produce lower prices for the taxpayers.”
The municipalities within the agreement represent more than 187,000 tons of trash each year, said Freeholder Jeffrey Nash.
The bids that came in for the agreement, he added, were “extremely favorable.”
“It’s a remarkable savings,” he said.
The trash is incinerated in the city of Camden.
Municipalities no longer are held to a state imposed trash flow restriction and thus were able to go out to bid.
Mayor Dave Mayer of Gloucester Township, Mayor Tish Colombi of Haddonfield and Mayor John Ward of Audubon were also present to explain how the agreement will help the communities.
In the next two years, Mayor Mayer said, Gloucester Township will be paying less for trash disposal than they did in the prior two years.
Shared services to Mayor Ward are a “no brainer.”
“It’s the future of local government,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
The partnership the municipalities have with the Board of Chosen Freeholders helps everyone involved, explained Mayor Colombi.
“We truly work as a team,” she said. “The important thing is that we’re working together to make a difference for our residents.”
Winslow Township went out to bid separately, officials said, due to proceedings on their end.
In the future, Camden County entities that are not involved in the original agreement will be able to join.
According to a county release, the process of organizing the cooperative bid package began in February. The governments involved were placed into the bid to drive down the price with the ultimate goal being to provide relief to budgetary constraints.
“This partnership reflects the Freeholder Board’s commitment to cost cutting and fiscal responsibility,” said Nash in a statement. “By joining in this cooperative bid package, each participant will save a great deal in disposal fees.”
