BAY SPRINGS — The Jasper County Board of Supervisors is considering prioritizing its garbage collections.

During its meeting Monday, the board voted to seek Requests For Proposals (RFPs) concerning prioritizing garbage collections.

Buford Clark with Waste Management of Mississippi addressed the board and asked the county to consider privatizing its garbage collection process.

Clark said Jasper County currently uses Waste Management’s landfill for disposal of its garbage. However, the county currently collects its own garbage.

“Since 1997, your garbage has been going to our landfill,” he said. “We want you to consider privatizing your garbage collections in hopes of trying to save you money.”

Clark said Waste Management currently contracts with over 100 governmental entities for garbage collection.

“This is not to put people out of work, but it’s to offer you a better way of doing a service,” he explained. “We usually hire some of your folks and we are usually able to save you money.”

Clark said Waste Management, which is a privately-owned waste disposal company, usually comes in to assess the county or government entity and then submit a proposal for the entity’s business.

Clark said Waste Management is currently doing business in Jasper County.

“We currently collects the garbage here in the City of Bay Springs,” he said. “We have operations in Meridian and Lake, which would be close to you.”

Clark said considering privatization would not cost the county.

“You are already our customer, so we will try to give you the best deal possible,” he said. “It doesn’t cost you anything to look at it.”

All five supervisors agreed that requesting proposals from all interested companies might be in the best interest of the county.

Clark said privatizing the garbage collections would eliminate duplication or overlapping of routes.

“We do a lot of things differently. We work longer hours and more days,” he said. “Most times, we can save you money with equipment and manpower.”

Board president Henry J. Hayes, who is supervisor for District Two, said proposals might be good for the county.

“We sometime have a truck going out with two others out there going down the same road to get to another point,” he said.

Hayes said the county has approximately 3,500 homes that garbage is currently being collected by the individual beats.

Board attorney Ricky Ruffin asked if the request for proposals would require a private company to provide canisters for the residents to use or not.

Clark said the efficient way for the county to handle the matter would be not to require the company to provide a specified canister.

He said the county’s garbage collection can be privatized without the resident changing the manner in which they dispose of their garbage.

“We can put it up in garbage bags or canisters,” he said. “If a resident wants a certain canister, they can go out and buy it.”

Officials said the county currently picks up yard trash and furniture. Supervisors also allow residents to take white goods (appliances) to certain locations for disposal by the county.

Clark told supervisors that the best and lowest bid would be for garbage collections only.

“If you don’t collect it, those things will end up on your roadways,” Ruffin said.

“I would rather them bring it there than for it to end up on the right of way,” District 5 Supervisor Curtis Gray said.

Clark said recycling is also an issue that the board should consider at some later time.

“I know it’s hard to do recycling in a rural county,” he said.

After a lengthy discussion, the group agreed to seek proposals for privatizing countywide garbage collections.

Also Monday, the supervisors opened bids for the sale of a trailer belonging to Beat Four. Of the two bids received, the board accepted the highest bide from James King in the amount of $1,501.

In other business, the supervisors discussed updating its website, county road maintenance and garbage collection fees.