Brewster

Brewster's closure puts city in bind

Kayli Martin news-herald.net

Lenoir City Council voted Monday to give the city purchasing committee emergency permission to pursue bids for services after the abrupt closure of Brewster’s Services Group.

Brewster’s announced suspension of services Friday in a letter to customers. The city and Lenoir City Utilities Board had agreements with the company.

The Lenoir City contract included residential and commercial trash pickup and landscaping work such as mowing rights of way and street sweeping.

“I wanted to advise council that I have been in talks with myself, the finance director and Ms. (Amber Scott) Kelso with the auditors,” Lenoir City Mayor Tony Aikens said. “They have given us the thumbs up that we can proceed this way, and I would ask that we would do this.”

Aikens said he had been in discussions Monday with Brewster’s owner Ken Brewster, who agreed to continue picking up commercial trash as needed.

Aikens said he hoped to have a new vendor in place within 30 days.

Council approved the measure unanimously.

Aikens thanked Street Superintendent J.J Cox and department employees for work Monday picking up residential trash.

City Administrator Amber Scott Kelso said the city was informed of the closure late Friday and employees worked over the weekend to figure out how to continue services to residents.

Kelso said the street department will take over trash pickup until a new contractor is secured.

“We’re going to keep that up to get us through until we are able to contract that out again,” Kelso said. “We did cut down on our labor force in the street department over the years because we had contracted out the garbage since 2013.”

Bids will probably come to council simply for information since the situation is an emergency relating to public health, she said. The purchasing committee is made up of three council members.

Brewster’s will continue handling four-, six- and eight-yard dumpsters for the city, LCUB and Lenoir City Schools.

“It is a special circumstance,” Kelso said. “It’s trash. It’s a public health concern. We want to take care of the people.”

Kelso said she has already started working on some of the proposals. She looks to have a bid out in the next couple of weeks.

Cox said he and Aikens worked on a plan during the weekend and secured a truck from Maryville. Cox asked that residents be patient since the city doesn’t have the manpower for special requests.