Selma City Council awards garbage contract to Georgia-based, minority-owned company

Selma will soon be served by a different provider of garbage services.

The Selma City Council voted to hire Preferred Waste Solutions, commonly referred to as PWS, to pick up the city’s garbage.

Martin Environmental has provided garbage service to Selma without a contract since 2022. The Dothan-based company picked up the business from Liberty Disposal Inc., commonly referred to as LDI, when that company left the market.

Martin also put in a bid in hopes of continuing to serve Selma under a contract, but the council voted to go with PWS, a minority and woman-owned business based in Lake City, Georgia.

Representatives of PWS told the city council at the June 19 meeting that while they can start providing residential service as soon as Martin stops, they would like 120 days to make the transition. PWS must get a list of residential customers, get the first month’s payment and get trash containers to those customers before service can begin, the representative said.

“Our focus now shifts to ensuring a smooth transition, building strong relationships within the community and providing the exceptional service that Selma residents deserve,” PWS posted on their website.

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City Council President Kennard Randolph noted that the city hasn’t been involved in a transition to a new garbage contractor in years because Martin took over the LDI contract when Martin bought the company.

The vote was not without some controversy. Councilwomen Christie Young and Jannie Thomas said at the meeting that they understood from an earlier executive session that both bids would be rejected and the city would issue a new request for bids.

Instead, Randolph presented to the council three resolutions: one to award the contract to Martin, one to award the contract to PWS and one to reject both bids and put out a new request for bids later.

Only Young and Thomas voted for the option to reject both bids. The resolution to go with PWS passed with five votes from the other councilpersons present. Councilman Troy Harvill and Clay Carmichael were absent.

Randolph, backed by City Attorney Prince Chestnut, said that the process that awarded the contract to PWS was handled according to the law.