The Hay community is up in arms over a decision to give the much disputed garbage contract to non-local business Cleanaway.
The owner of Handford Earth Moving has written an open letter, slamming Hay Shire Council over the decision.
“Its a very poor decision from the council, the other company is $200,000 cheaper in 10 year than us but input into the town is $0,” Mr Hanford wrote.
“To the residents of hay district – Peter Handford and staff would like to thank you for the petition, signatures and general support offered to my company during the saga of the garbage contract.
“A few facts you may not be aware of – the main excuse used by council management to go to a cheaper quote was that council would be pursued by both ICAC and/or the state government.
“What state politicians would want to come down hard on a small country town struggling to survive and trying to keep business and employment local?”
The community rallied behind Mr Handford and his company pending the decision, with 196 members of Hay signing to keep the contract local.
The petition was shared throughout Facebook, with resident Sue Little encouraging the Hay community to sign.
“This very wrong to appoint the contract to an out of town business,” she said.
“Hay rate payers want their money to be spent on keeping locals employed.
Others took to Facebook to condemn the decision made by council.
“Hay Shire Council … you’re right into promoting shop local, buy local, look after and support our town, yet you turn around and give the local garbage contract to an outside contractor (Cleanaway) because they were cheaper, does that mean our garbage collection rate will go down?” one user wrote.
Vicki McMannus who has worked for Handford Earthmoving for the past six years, felt as though there has been no reasonable explanation for the decision.
“I can’t understand the reasoning … voting to take a contract off a local business and give it to an out of town business,” she said in a letter to the council. Hay council were contacted for comment, but have so far been unavailable.
However, it has previously resolved to provide a letter of appreciation to Mr Handford “for his excellent service to the community over the past 14 years”.
“As a result of a tender process council has awarded the garbage contract to Cleanaway Operations for a six-year period with an option to extend the contract for a further four years in one year increments,” the council decision read.
