Garbage disposal will soon look a little different for Brookhaven residents.

     City aldermen met Wednesday night and approved a contract with Waste Pro for garbage disposal, ending Waste Management’s tenure as the city’s residential garbage disposal provider.

     The new contract will continue twice a week garbage pickup the city has now and will add a once-weekly pickup of recyclables.

     Waste Pro trucks begin riding the streets Monday. For several weeks, residents shouldn’t notice anything different, with their schedules remaining intact, current bins accepted and no curbside recycling.

     Changes are coming, though.

     About Oct. 15, Waste Pro will deliver 98-gallon garbage bins to every residential household. These are the only bins that may be placed on the curb, though residents may trade the 98-gallon bins for smaller bins upon request.

     The designated recycling bins will also be delivered at this time. A decision about which day curbside recycling will occur has not been made yet.

     City leaders were pleased that the curbside recycling option could be added at a cost less than the city has been paying for twice a week pickup alone.

     Under the contract with Waste Pro, the city will pay a monthly rate per residence of $10.50 for garbage disposal and $1.84 for recycling, a total per residence charge to the city of $12.34. The city’s pays $12.54 per housing unit right now.

     “We’re getting a little bit better than free recycling,” said Mayor Les Bumgarner, who negotiated the contract with Waste Pro.

     No changes to residential garbage rates have been discussed and are expected to remain the same for now.

     Curbside recycling will also require a shift in strategy; the city has been focusing on a drop-off recycling program, with two bins available for residential recycling.

     “I’d never in my wildest dreams imagined we’d go from no recycling to curbside recycling in two months,” said Ward Six Alderman David Phillips.

     There won’t be a change in the materials accepted for recycling.

     Residents will also have to become a little more particular about placement of their garbage cans.

     Waste Pro will be using an automated system that doesn’t require someone to ride on the truck and dump the garbage into it. Thus, garbage bins need to be placed no further than 5 feet from the curb or street and about 2 feet away from any obstructions like a mailbox or a parked car.

     Waste Pro Regional Vice President Wally Carter said literature explaining the placement of the bins will be included with the bins once they’re delivered.

     Carter anticipated most city residents will ultimately remain on their current pickup schedule, though some changes could occur.

     Ward Three Alderman Mary Wilson questioned Carter about Waste Pro trucks missing streets as they learn the routes. Carter said he’s confident missed streets will be rare, but in the event it happens, will be corrected as quickly as possible.

     Wilson pressed Carter about streets missed on a Friday, and Carter said no garbage would be left to sit over a weekend.

     “There will be no garbage left out,” Carter said. “Our name is very important to us.”

     The contract includes the option to drop back to once-a-week garbage pickup and once-a-week recyclables pickup at any point after the first year of service. Bumgarner has suggested such an option could save the city enough money to scale back residential garbage bills.

     Waste Pro is contracted for three years with the possibility of an extension to six years, said board attorney Joe Fernald.

     In Lincoln County, Waste Pro is also set to begin residential garbage pickup next week on a once-a-week pickup schedule. The county won’t be using 98-gallon carts.

     No changes in pickup schedule are anticipated, though that remains provisional.

     “Not that I know of, but that could change,” said County Administrator David Fields.