Trash service bid continues to be an issue of debate

A Lebanon mayoral candidate is once again criticizing a city proposal to award a bid for residential trash service. The city is also again disputing the candidate’s allegations. At issue is a proposed ordinance on Monday’s City Council agenda to accept an agreement with Republic Services of the Ozarks for Solid Waste Containers and Collection Services. Under the agreement, Republic would be permitted to provide trash service for city properties as well as provide a discounted rate to Lebanon residents. On his Jim White for Mayor Facebook page, White, a former Lebanon city councilman, notes that the city is agreeing to promote the trash service as a preferred provider and raises questions about the action. “If Council Bill 4956 is passed the city will agree to promote the selected residential trash service provider as a preferred provider of the City of Lebanon,” White wrote. Among White’s questions were “how much money is the city allocating for promoting the selected trash service and where will the funding come from?” The answer, according to Lebanon Communications Manager Derek Gean, is none. “The city is not allocating money to promote any trash service provider as a preferred provider for the City of Lebanon,” Gean said in an email to the Record. For more on this story see Saturday's LCR.