The Town of Gibsons is moving ahead with plans to bring in curbside recycling pickup and an enhanced recycling depot to the Town.
Council voted Tuesday, Oct. 7, to award a $17,510 contract to Promise Consulting of Canada to design a request for proposal (RFP) that recycling providers may bid on.
The RFP will not specify if the contract will be for single or multi-stream recycling, leaving bidders with the option to provide either service.
Before voting, council debated three pertinent issues: whether the cost was affordable, whether staff had the time and resources to take the project on and whether the timing was right. The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has asked the Town to hold off on its recycling plans until the SCRD has conducted and education and survey program to gauge desire for curbside recycling. The Town is also set to renew its garbage collection contract in February 2010, and some councillors don't want to jeopardize the chance to harmonize recycling and garbage pickup.
The vote passed 3-2 with councillors Wayne Rowe and Bob Curry voting against.
"I still have a very strong feeling that we should not proceed with the award at this point in time," Curry said. "I believe that the amount of money is not warranted to be expended. We don't have it in our budget, and secondly, our staff is already quite busy with a number of more important tasks than proceeding with an RFP and a consultancy I believe we should wait and co-ordinate our effort with the Sunshine Coast Regional District."
Rowe said he agreed with Curry that the cost was too high and relied on using leftover and projected funds in the Gibsons budget. The Town had budgeted only $4,000 for a recycling RFP at the beginning of the year.
Coun. LeeAnn Johnson said the length of time the SCRD has taken on recycling is no incentive to make plans around the regional district's schedule.
"I am concerned that we have a very long history at the regional district of foot dragging and that is likely to continue," Johnson said. "I would like to have us, in the Town, move ahead, and as the regional district comes on board with whatever they decide to do, we'll be able to co-ordinate that fairly easily."
Mayor Barry Janyk broke the tie while voting over the phone before heading to the Czech Republic to represent Gibsons at the LivCom wards.
"I place my confidence in the staff's ability to manage the situation We've spent a couple years on the issue," Janyk said. "It's time for us to try to move it forward and see how the community responds to what we're proposing. I think we'll get a very positive response, and I'm willing to give it a chance."
Chief administrative officer Paul Gipps said the Town will give the SCRD a chance to use the Town's RFP in return for paying a part of the consulting fees.
