NATCHEZ — The City of Natchez could push back its 4 p.m. Monday deadline for waste haulers to submit proposals to become Natchez’s next waste and recycling collector.

The potential delay comes after aldermen said they are considering adding a requirement for haulers to provide a performance bond, which helps to ensure the city is covered if a company fails to provide adequate service.

When Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard asked what benefit a performance bond could provide, Ward 3 Alderwoman Sarah Smith said the bond would protect the city from liability.

“The advantage is it keeps us safe if for some reason they go out of business,” Smith said. “It guarantees that we’re going to get a performance that we’re contracted for. It’s a guarantor.”

Smith later said she would not be comfortable going into negotiations without a performance bond requirement.

Officials had considered motioning to add the requirement and extending the deadline at Thursday’s meeting. Since Smith, Dillard and Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis were the only aldermen present, the board did not have a quorum and could not amend the city’s current request for proposals.

Waste Pro Marketing Officer Jolene Johnson — one of the many employees from various companies who attended the meeting — questioned whether the city needed a quorum to make the addendum.

City Attorney Bob Latham responded that the item must go through the proper legal procedure, as it could affect residents’ rates.

“We can’t just add requirements that could increase rates for the residents,” Latham said. “You just can’t do it. There’s an attorney general’s opinion that says you can’t do it.”

If the board of aldermen does decide to add the requirement for a performance bond, companies must get at least an additional five business days to adjust their proposals, Latham said.

Officials discussed the possibility of taking the matter up at the board’s regular meeting this Tuesday. Though that would be after the current Monday deadline, aldermen could elect to add the requirement so long as they do so before opening any bids, Latham said.

At that point, companies would then have at least five days to retune and resubmit their proposals.

Tuesday’s meeting will take place at 11 a.m. at the City Council Chambers, located at 115 S. Pearl St., across the street from City Hall. The city had yet to release an agenda for Tuesday’s meeting as of Thursday evening.