VALDOSTA — Residents made the Lowndes County Commission aware Tuesday they are unhappy with the county’s new sanitation contract.

Several residents spoke to the commission during the Citizens to be Heard portion of the Tuesday meeting, saying they are now paying more for less services.

David Eaton discussed what he viewed to be a misleading letter from Advanced Disposal regarding collection centers.

“The letter said the collection centers are free of charge, as long as we are in good standing with the company,” Eaton said. “I got a bill from them yesterday reflecting a 38 percent increase in our fees. I called the company and asked them what was the purpose of the rate increase, and the supervising manager here in Valdosta said it was to cover the increase of personnel and expenses for these two sites. Total contradiction to the letter.”

Eaton also referred to the change in recycling and bulk-waste pickup in the letter, which states that pickup of recyclables and bulk waste would be cut. These items, as well as yard waste, will be dropped off at these collection centers.

“Now they’ve removed the recycling, they removed the bulk-trash pickup, and they increased their fees for $53.10 per quarter,” Eaton said. “I think this is an unfair business practice, and if there is any association with the county, I would like our services restored, and I am requesting that the previous fees that we paid also be restored.”

The old quarterly fee was $38.40 per quarter.

“There’s a large number of senior citizens out in the county, and they’re very upset that they’re going to have to travel a long distance to have bulk waste removed,” Eaton said.

Former county commissioner Richard Lee was more blunt in his comments about the sanitation deal.

Lee said he had been a big supporter of the collection centers, but agreed to replace them with curbside service after what he called a “great contract” was reached.

“We got a great contract with a provider to provide the exact same level of service at the curb for thousands of Lowndes Countians, I think it was 9,000 or 10,000 that were using Advanced’s services, as I understand,” Lee said. “I bought into that, I supported that, with some hesitancy. We took a lot of heat for making the decision we made, but in the final analysis, most of the people we talked to loved it. I loved it.”

Lee said the contract had been a great deal, with Advanced picking up trash, recycling, bulk items and yard waste.

“So when you decided to re-negotiate and allow (Deep South) to have access, it didn’t give me a lot of heartburn,” Lee said. “If they can work that out, they can continue the level of service and there’s more than one provider at a level playing field, I’m OK with that.”

Lee said he would have been OK if Advanced had raised prices, because as a business owner, he understands businesses have to raise prices in order to stay in service.

“We have now rolled back solid-waste management provisions in Lowndes County 20 years,” Lee said. “We’ve set back recycling way back from where it was. We’re in a disincentive mode for recycling by doing away with the curbside recycling. I have to drive nearly to Moody if I want to recycle tin cans and metal. Some people have to drive to Lake Park. We had a great site at the Industrial Park, now I understand the other guy may get that. I hope you hold his feet to the fire and say ‘You will provide recycling at that site.’”

Lee said there needs to be a level playing field.

“My price went up 40 percent,” Lee said. “I get garbage pickup at my house. I don’t get any of the bulk pickup. I don’t get any recycling anymore. You disincentivized recycling. You messed up, guys and gals. I really hope, and I know you’re bound to a yearly contract, but I really hope you re-evaluate what you’ve done for the upcoming year.”