Former Mayor Richard Dziekan (left) and current Mayor Joseph DiMartino.
DERBY – Mayor Joseph DiMartino said he was surprised to learn the monthly cost for garbage and recycling pickup in the city has increased $54,000 per month since July.
“So, in essence, we’re in the hole for $300,000 right now,” DiMartino told members of the Derby Board of Apportionment and Taxation on Tuesday. “This was brought to my attention by my interim finance director and I just wanted to let all of you be aware of that.”
BOAT, also known as the tax board, sets the mill rate and approves budgets in Derby.
Click the play button below to watch excerpts from the conversation that happened at the meeting.
DiMartino said the price increase kicked in in July, at the start of the fiscal year. He blamed Mayor Rich Dziekan’s administration for not putting the contract out to bid.
DiMartino took office in December. Dziekan is his predecessor.
City Carting handles sanitation and recycling in Derby, along with running the city’s transfer station. The company is part of WIN Waste Innovations.
Mayor DiMartino also discussed the garbage contract at a Board of Aldermen & Alderwomen meeting earlier this month.
At that time The Valley Indy called former Mayor Dziekan for a response. Dziekan said the Democratic Alders dragged their feet on the garbage contract, part of a political strategy to leave his administration stagnant.
Dziekan said the Democrats played games such as not showing up for meetings, tabling matters, and defeating anything that came up for a vote.
Dziekan was a Republican at the time.
At Wednesday’s tax board meeting, Aldermanic President Sarah Widomski, a Democrat, said the contract came up for discussion at a public meeting in August 2023.
Officials noted the City Carting contract had expired.
“At no point in time did they (the Dziekan administration) inform our board or the tax board at the time that the price had increased $54,000 a month,” Widomski said.
DiMartino said the monthly costs went from $107,973 to $162,094 per month, starting in July.
He said the Derby corporation counsel is reviewing documents and the plan is to put the contract out to bid soon.
A spokesperson from WIN Waste Innovations sent The Valley Indy an email saying the company is willing to work with Derby, but noted prices are up everywhere. The company also said that former Mayor Dziekan signed a month-to-month agreement with the company.
“We’re pleased to continue to serve the city of Derby’s waste and recycling needs, however the cost of sustainable waste disposal has increased significantly over the last few years,” said Tracey Bentley, the spokesperson.
“While we absorbed the increase in operating costs and disposal throughout the terms of Derby’s contract, the agreement expired in 2023 and former Mayor Dziekan indicated he would issue a request for proposals,” Bentley said. “Our current month-to-month agreement with the city, signed by former Mayor Dziekan, reflects a more competitive market rate for services. We are in talks with Mayor DiMartino about the city’s future waste and recycling needs and how we can continue to provide reliable, cost-effective services that prioritize safety and sustainability.”
