Preferred Waste Solution to take over Selma garbage service on Oct. 1, CEO says

Preferred Waste Solution will take over curbside garbage pickup in Selma on Oct. 1, according to company CEO Julia Isaac.

The Selma City Council awarded the city’s garbage service to PWS on June 19. Isaac came to the council’s June 23 work session to give details about how the Georgia-based company will provide garbage pickup services in the Queen City.

Current provider Martin Environmental said in a social media post that they will provide service through September. Isaac said in the meantime, PWS will sign up customers, purchase garbage trucks and prepare the containers.

Isaac told the Black Belt News Network that she isn’t sure how many customers are currently being served by Martin and how many customers her company can expect. The request for proposal said the provider should be prepared to serve 4,000 to 6,000 customers.

Isaac said PWS can service around 3,500 customers with one large truck and one smaller truck.

The monthly fee for curbside garbage service will be $25. The fee for an additional container is $15 a month. Backyard pickup service is $40 a month for regular customers. Customers who can provide proof to PWS that they are disabled can receive backyard service for the standard $25 fee.

Disabled citizens who are vetted by the city can receive a waiver that gives them free service. According to the request for proposal, the city can provide waivers to no more than 10% of the total customers.

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Commercial service using a 96-gallon container is $30 a month.

Customers who want to sign up with PWS must pay for their first two months of service ($50) up front plus a $35 startup-fee that includes delivery of the container.

Customers can pay by mail, online or by automatic withdrawal, and PWS will open an office in Selma where customers can pay in person. PWS will not accept cash.

Isaac told the city council that if the city pays for half of the cost of the carts, the city can own the carts and customize the carts with the city’s information. She told the Black Belt News Network that the city will have to inform her by mid-July for her to get the carts customized with Selma’s information.

The contract is for two years, and the city will have the option to extend it for up to three additional one-year periods.

Martin Environmental of Dothan has been Selma’s provider since September 2022 when previous provider LDI left the market. Martin, who has been providing the service without a contract, also turned a bid to offer the service.