The city of Vicksburg is hoping to get a better deal on garbage collection for residents and the city’s small businesses.

The board Friday authorized city clerk Walter Osborne to advertise for bids for solid waste collection services. The bids are expected to be opened March 20. City attorney Nancy Thomas said the city will have a pre-proposal meeting with potential bidders March 10.

She said the March 20 bid deadline will allow the city time to negotiate a contract with the winning company before the present agreement expires. Garbage collection is considered a professional service and not subject to the state bid law. That means city officials are not required to select the lowest bid and can negotiate with a company to get a contract.

The city’s six-year contract with Houston, Texas-based Waste Management expires in June. City residents presently pay $16.50 for twice a week garbage collection. The small business rate is $40.15.

Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said he expects the new agreement will alleviate some confusion over garbage and trash collection that has occurred in the past four years.

“This contract will be all inclusive, so there is really be no reason for us not being able to provide adequate service to the community and to the citizens, and should help in the cleanliness of the city of Vicksburg, “ he said. “Any debris and as much debris as we can that’s legal, we’ll pick up, and that’s a service to the taxpayer. It will at least minimize some of the concerns.”

He said in the past he has had to call city workers to pick up debris left on curbs and in the streets.

A contract to include collecting debris would certainly help the city, South Ward Alderman Willis Thompson said.

“We get calls about things we used to pick up before and don’t now, and this (the new contract) should clear up a lot of misunderstanding about what the city is responsible for and what it is not,” he said, adding he hopes the new contract will provide better service.

Thomas said the bid specifications include a separate item for a truck to collect debris on city rights of way either once or twice a week. North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield said presently the second garbage collection day, Thursday, includes collection of rubbish, such as tree limbs.

“If they put it out there after Thursday, on the average, it has to sit out there the entire weekend until that following Thursday, which causes problems,” he said.

“This is one of the more important services that we offer, garbage collection. (If) we don’t have that right, we’re in a lot of problems,” Thompson said. “I think it’s well worth it.”

“There’s one thing about it, if you don’t get it right this time, your phone’s going to be ringing off the hook, I guarantee you that,” Mayfield said.