ISLAMORADA CHOOSES ISLAND DISPOSAL COMPANY AS NEXT TRASH HAULER CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Islamorada will see a new trash hauler beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

During a June 8 meeting, the village council voted 4-1 to select Island Disposal Company over the current provider, Waste Management.

Contract negotiations will begin between the village and Island Disposal Company. Council members said they want a contract that spans 10 years instead of five.

Island Disposal Company is owned by Brian Lindback, who formerly ran Atlantic Trash & Transfer in Key Largo. Joining Lindback in the business are two men who spent decades in the solid waste industry, Glenn Miller and Jim Wheatley. The two retired from their careers and began living in Islamorada.

“It’s a vital service to the community and I wouldn’t take this on alone without these guys and their experience behind me,” he said.

In his statements to the council, Lindback said trucks and canisters will be ready to go before the 2024 start date. Miller said the transition will begin a month before they start hauling trash. He said they will bring in workers he once used to help get things off the ground.

“It will be boots on the ground ahead of time. We’ll be training drivers and getting cans delivered,” Miller said.

Before the council voted on the matter, an evaluation committee met two days prior to rank and recommend a garbage hauler for the village based on a request for proposals that was sent out in early March. Committee scores saw Island Disposal Company receiving the most points, 408, followed by Atlantic Trash & Transfer, 393, and Waste Management, 320. Atlantic Trash & Transfer was disqualified for breaking the “cone of silence,” which