NATCHEZ — A week ahead of opening bids for a new county trash collection contract, potential waste haulers asked supervisors Monday about their goals for a new provider. 

A half-dozen bidders, including Waste Pro, the county’s current provider, came in a week early to refine the bids they will place for the county’s trash collection contract.

The deciding factor for the county, District 1 Supervisor Mike Lazarus said, will be price.

“I’m telling you right now, price is going to get you this contract,” Lazarus said. “The price is going to get it.”

Lazarus said a contract that maintained the current hauling price of $9.25 per county household per month.

“We’re not raising garbage rates,” District 5 Supervisor and Board President Calvin Butler said. “That’s not going to happen. If we can’t get a lower rate, we’ll have to eat this somehow.”

Applicants can provide rates for one, two, three, four, five and six-year contracts.

Though bidders will be asked to provide prices for a once-a-week pick-up option, Lazarus said the price is more symbolic than anything.

“I’m never going to vote for once a week pickup,” he said. “You can put it down there, but It’s not going to happen. The only reason we put the once a week pickup option is so the public can see that we don’t save hardly any money at all with once-a-week pickup.”

Butler said he, too, would not vote for once-a-week pick up.

Jimmie Moore, representing Arrow Disposal, asked supervisors what the collector was expected to remove besides traditional garbage.

Butler said the county road department handles bulky waste pick-up, and that the collectors would not be expected to remove anything other than traditional garbage.

Board attorney Scott Slover said the county was looking for a provider who could focus on resident’s needs.

“We want service-based pick up,” Slover said. “We’re looking for a strategic partner who will help keep it clean.”

The county’s previous contract with Waste Pro was set for three and a half years, with two possible one-year extensions. The county enacted its second one-year extension in 2017.

Lazarus said the supervisors will open bids for the new waste contract at 9 a.m. Monday in the board’sr regular, monthly meeting.