New trash hauler in Bridgeview

Officials: SBC Waste Solutions offered best deal

By Steve Metsch

The Bridgeview Village Board has approved a contract with a new scavenger company that will increase fees for homeowners by just 30 to 40 cents a year, officials said.

The new scavenger company for the village is SBC Waste Solutions. It replaces Republic Services, effective Jan. 1.

“There were three responses (to a request for proposal),” Trustee James Cecott said at the Oct. 21 board meeting.

“It was reviewed by the committee and SBC is their recommendation,” Cecott said. “They conform to all the parameters and were the most reasonable as far as price goes.”

Republic Services tried to keep the contract. Lakeshore Recycling Systems was the third bidder.

“There are about 3,200 customers (in the village) and the price is raised about $1,200, so it’s 30 or 40 cents (more) per household on average,” Landek said.

SBC offers its services at a reduced fee compared to other companies, Landek said after the board meeting, and costs less than Republic, the former scavenger company.

“They’re a good company,” Landek said of Republic.

Shawn Flood, of SBC Waste Solutions, is all smiles after the company landed the scavenger contract with the village of Bridgeview. He learned the business as a kid, starting at age 16 on a garbage truck. Photo by Steve Metsch.

Shawn Flood, a managing partner in SBC, grew up in the scavenger business. His father, Brian Flood, is part owner of Flood Brothers, a scavenger company in the area that earlier this year got the contract to service nearby La Grange.

“My father put me on a garbage truck when I was 16 years old. You learn the hard way to appreciate everything about it,” Flood said. “Then I went into sales at Flood Brothers when I was 20 years old. Then I broke off and partnered with Karen (Coley). We started SBC in 2017.”

SBC is “excited to be in Bridgeview,” Shawn Flood said.

“One, to take care of the residents. Two, to reduce their costs. Most municipalities have been reaching out to private haulers for more of a personal touch, a ‘white glove service’.”

“Our goal, and our pitch to Bridgeview was, be more community involved. Become a part of their family and they become a part of our family,” Flood said.

SBC, based in Broadview, will remove yard waste and recyclable items in addition to taking away trash, he said.

“We look forward to servicing the village of Bridgeview,” Flood said.

Under the plan that was unanimously approved, the cost per month for garbage removal will be:

$35.51 for a duplex or two-unit building;
$22.33 for residents who bought their dwelling on Jan. 1, 2007 or after;
$17.94 for those who purchased their dwelling prior to Jan. 1, 2007;
and $11.15 for seniors age 65 and older who bought their dwelling prior to Jan. 1, 2007.

In other business, the board approved appointing Mariam Ahmad to the village personnel board. Landek also said the board has a goal of cutting $1.5 million from its budget.

“The stadium is not a burden on us in any way. Sometimes, there’s a misconception about that,” said Landek, adding that cutting the budget “will help the village’s corporate fund.”

The board again tabled action on a proposal that first came before trustees at their Sept. 16 meeting. It’s about a proposed expansion of the MAS School, 9101 S. Oketo Ave., that includes a parking variation.

Some neighbors at the Sept. 16 meeting spoke out strongly against approval, fearing more congestion on neighborhood streets. At that meeting, Landek suggested he and the trustees visit the site in person to get a better understanding of the situation.

Action had been tabled at the Oct. 7 board meeting.

At that meeting, the board approved the intergovernmental agreement with the park district to use various facilities through December of 2039.

“This allows the park district to use the dome or community center. They’d have to pay for the employees to clean then,” Trustee Michael Pticek said.

The board changed the annual license year for establishments who have video gaming. The license year for gaming machine will now run from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, in keeping with other licenses issued by the village.

The license fee per machine is $200 and the operator and the annual fee for the operator, regardless the number of machines, is $2,100 each year. That fee is reduced to $200 per year for a licensed fraternal establishment, licensed veterans’ organization or licensed truck stop.

The board approved a special use permit to allow operations of a truck transportation facility and repair shop by Advance Truck Repair at 7335 W. 100^thPlace.

The board also approved electrical service for three new signs that will be erected near SeatGeek Stadium.

The board voted unanimously to pay BME Electric, based in Bridgeview, $40,000 for the largest sign, which will be on the west side of Harlem Avenue., north of 71^stStreet

It will pay $4,900 for electric service to a second sign on the east side of Harlem, and $2,800 for electric service to a third sign at the parking lot’s main entrance along 71^st street.

Desplaines Valley News

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Steve Metsch

Steve Metsch is an award winning veteran reporter who previously worked for the Daily Southtown Newspapers, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. Metsch is a writer and editor at the Southwest News Newspaper group based in suburban Chicago, and a freelance writer a health magazine, the Suburban Life, the Naperville Sun, and other organizations.
Email Steve Metsch at [email protected]