By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

As town budget season wraps up, the Cicero Town Board discussed the brush removal contract at its Nov. 13 and 16 meetings, which saw the return of a bidder who has locked horns with Cicero in court over the last few years.

The town board voted Nov. 16 to award the two-year brush contract to Last Chance Recycling on the condition that the company provide proof of ownership or lease of a grapple truck by Dec. 3. A grapple truck is a vehicle with a boom and claw that is used to move tree trunks and other bulky items.

Last Chance Recycling submitted the lowest bid of $593,040. Onsite Development offered the second-lowest bid at $640,000.

Ian Hunter, the owner of Last Chance Recycling, has filed several lawsuits against the town of Cicero since 2017 contesting the town’s decision to award the brush removal contract to Onsite Development.

“Last Chance did not provide proof that they have a grapple truck,” Town Engineer Kate Fiorello said at the Nov. 13 meeting, adding that the contractor documents specified a grapple truck as a requirement.

Councilor Nancy White expressed her concerns Nov. 13.

“Does this open us up to an issue with possibly the second low bidder coming back and saying, ‘Well, if I didn’t have to buy a truck, my bid would have been lower’?” Councilor Nancy White asked. “Do we want to go that route? Since the one vendor did their bid correctly the first time, has proof of everything, and the other vendor doesn’t do it correctly, he gets extra time.”

Germain said the board can choose to overlook some requirements of the bid specs, but that could be risky.

“I’m not guaranteeing we’re not going to get sued by anyone here,” Germain said. “We’ve been sued the last three times with this bid.”

Fiorello said Last Chance was given two additional weeks to submit missing information from their bid.

“I don’t know how appropriate it is to give this gentleman the contract when the other bidder does the bid correctly the first time,” White said.

Karp said White made a good point, but added that the town board has received numerous complaints about Onsite.

Fiorello said the town wants residents who may be cutting their own trees down to have the option to pay the brush hauler an additional fee to remove brush that exceeds the amount set out in the town contract.

At the Nov. 16 meeting, Supervisor Bill Meyer noted that Last Chance’s contract would begin in the spring of 2021, leaving a gap in brush pickup in January, when many people dispose of their Christmas trees.

Comptroller Elke Johanns said the town currently pays Onsite in $35,000 increments and has made nine payments. Last Chance would receive $32,946 per payment, saving the town about $2,000 per payment.

The resolution passed 4-1, with White voting no.