AUGUSTA, Ga. () – Augusta leaders are again talking trash – trying to find common ground on a new garbage service contract.

“Hopefully, we’ll come back and we’ll have something to offer the citizens that’s better than what we have,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Wayne Guilfoyle.

The first proposed contract called for an annual fee of $440, a nearly $120 dollar increase. Under the new deal, the fee would go up $36, but if you want to recycle, you still must make a separate contract with your hauler.

“We’ve gotten this fee down to about $70 cheaper that what it was before because we don’t want folks to have to pay more money for less service,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.

But some don’t want to see any fee increase because the plan calls for using some of the trash fee to pay for services like street sweeping and building demolitions.

“We should be able to provide the service to the citizens without having to increase it. The vendors are actually keeping their numbers low,” said Guilfoyle.

The proposal calls for the city to hire two different contractors to provide service, but in this case, some don’t believe two is better than one and want to rebid the contract.

“We need to go back out George, we need to go back out and find a vendor who is capable of handling Augusta with recycling and keep the cost down,” said Guilfoyle.

“One provider can’t handle the workload in Augusta-Richmond County. The department has said that and I believe that,” said Johnson.

A new trash service contract is coming back before city leaders, but it appears after months of talk already, the issue is not ready to be disposed of.