The acquisition of the company contracted to run the Bayfield and Marvel transfer stations in June left the two locations abruptly shuttered earlier this month – and likely to stay that way until at least early October.
La Plata County announced the closures Sept. 6.
In a Sept. 14 news release, the county announced that a request for proposals had been issued and bids would be accepted though 10 a.m. on Sept. 27.
The county’s contract with GFL Environmental, the contractor operating the stations, expired in June. The company’s operations in Colorado and New Mexico were acquired by Republic Services around the same time.
“La Plata County was aware of the contract expiring with GFL in the middle of GFL (Colorado and New Mexico) being acquired by Republic Services, Inc. in June,” said Public Works Director Jim Davis in an email to The Durango Herald. “The county was hopeful Republic Services would honor the GFL contract, however that was not the case.”
In an email, County Spokesman Ted Holteen added “apparently, we tried to contact Republic for renewal but never got a response.”
In 2021, the Marvel transfer station served 1,032 customers, while the Bayfield station served 4,414.
Holteen said the hope is to reopen the stations within two to three weeks after bidding closes.
In an email to the Herald, a spokesperson for Republic Services said that “inquiries related to these closures should be directed to La Plata County.”
Bayfield Mayor Ashleigh Tarkington said she has received a handful of complaints from residents who went to the station for drop-offs, unaware that it was closed. The town does have municipal trash collection service, but it does not reach residents in areas outside the town limit.
Michael Greer, a former Marvel resident, said his mother still lives there and it has cost her “a lot of money” to dispose of her trash since the station closed.
Residents can still take refuse to the Bondad landfill on County Road 310 or the City of Durango’s transfer station in the Durango Tech Center.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
