Middletown continues exploration of alternate garbage collection methods

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MIDDLETOWN – Mayor Joseph DeStefano would like to see Middletown change its method of garbage pickup to save the city money before the middle of next year.
The common council heard a proposal that the mayor supports to purchase
new trucks with an arm that extends outward and picks up special garbage
receptacles and dumps them in the vehicle. That, he said would save the
city money in the number of staff needed per truck and for workers compensation
costs incurred by city employees who dump garbage currently in the conventional
manner.
Alderman Joseph Masi would rather see privatization of the service if it can be proven to provide a significant cost savings to the city.
In either case, DeStefano would like to move ahead quickly.
“We do plan on sending out Alderman Masi’s request for proposals regarding privatization, but we will hopefully make a decision very quickly on this because I would like to have it implemented hopefully by the end of this year and maybe kick it off by the early spring of 2017,” DeStefano said.
The mayor acknowledges going in the direction of new garbage trucks with the arm to pick up receptacles would require an upfront financial investment.