By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
HOWARD – After meeting in closed session Monday, May 13, the Howard village board approved a seven-year contract extension with Harter’s for the village’s residential garbage and recycling collection, said Village Administrator Paul Evert.
He said the extension runs through the end of 2027 and calls for annual increases of 2 percent after the previous seven-year agreement with Harter’s concludes Dec. 31, 2020.
Evert said the extension will still make it possible for the village to keep its residential garbage and recycling collection costs less than what they had been before Howard entered into the initial agreement with Harter’s.
In addition to the annual percentage increases, Evert said the village would also be paying more for collection services to add new residences as they are constructed in the village.
In 2019, Evert said the village will be paying $451,900 with the residential collection contract it has with Harter’s – $282,900 for garbage and $169,000 for recycling.
He noted the contract with Harter’s has included a provision the company use compressed natural gas for fuel in the collection trucks.
Evert said the village has to pay a separate per-ton tipping fee for the materials collected to be brought to the landfill run as a partnership of Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago counties.
HSYSA contract
In other action, the board backed a contract through the end of 2024 between the village of Howard, the village of Suamico and the Howard-Suamico Youth Sports Association for the HSYSA to use facilities in Howard as well as in Suamico.
Evert said the agreement, which would automatically renew for an additional five-year term unless one of the parties provides written notice at least 90 days prior to the initial expiration date, puts the current relationship between the parties in writing.
He said the relationship between the village of Howard and the HSYSA has been positive and as a result the village has not needed to employ additional staff to run a youth sports program.
“While our relationship with HSYSA has been very strong over the years, there has always been this little twist in the Suamico relationship – it hasn’t been quite as comfortable,” Evert said. “So, going through this whole process, there was sort of a trust built. But the bottom line, what HSYSA does for our residents is tremendous. We, in turn, have provided a fantastic facility.”
Concerns have been raised about the HSYSA’s tax status by Suamico Trustee Dan Roddan, who has questioned whether the organization should be treated as a non-profit organization for purposes such as being granted a picnic license to sell beer.
A legal opinion provided to the village of Suamico from attorney Paul Umentum concluded the HSYSA is a “bonafide club” and a “not-for-profit entity” to meet the qualifications under the village code for a picnic license.
Even though the HSYSA is not a 501(c)(3) organization, for which donations would be tax deductible along with the organization being eligible for certain grants, Umentum said that doesn’t apply to determine whether the HSYSA is a bonafide club.
The Suamico village board held a special meeting Tuesday, May 14, when it granted a picnic license to the HSYSA, which has its first tournament May 18.