The city of Selma will soon seek bids from companies that are interested in garbage collection.

The city’s current contract with Advanced Disposal expires at the end of December, and we hope the city resolves this problem with haste.

Mayor George Evans said the city is preparing to send out requests for proposals, and the city is hoping to know who will take over garbage collection for Selma, whether it be a new company or with Advanced Disposal, by November.

While November seems so far away, it isn’t. Time flies, and the city should take care of this problem as soon as possible. If not, the city could be in big mess.

The sooner the city has an answer, the more comfortable property and business owners will be.

Advanced Disposal chose not to renew its contract with the city due to a large amount of unpaid bills. If the city hopes to find a company to take over garbage services, the issue of payment and bill collection will likely have to be addressed.

Whoever the city does sign a contract with, the city should make sure it is fair to everyone, including the customers. People that pay for garbage should not be punished for those that choose not to take responsibility for their bills.

Whether it is the same type of collection service, or an entirely new one, the city should make an effort to have details  spelled out as soon as practical so the government, company and citizens know what to expect.