MIDDLE TOWNSHIP – The Township Committee has replaced Gold Medal Environmental as it solid waste and recycling vendor, moving instead to award a contract to Pinelands Construction.

The vote of the governing body Dec. 16 authorized entry into a negotiated contract with Pinelands Construction in the amount of $1.55 million per year for five years beginning Jan. 1.

According to the contract authorization resolution, “The quote received from Pinelands Construction elicited through the negotiation process was the most cost-effective of the two quotes that were received.”

The move comes two years after GME lost a number of municipal contracts in the county when the company abruptly asked for increased compensation that was higher than the rates in existing contracts.

At the time the company stated that costs associated with the pandemic and fuel inflation caused by the start of war in Ukraine were expenses that could not have been anticipated in its existing contracts.

Gold Medal angered a number of local officials at the start of the 2022 summer season by suggesting that a failure to pay fees in excess of contract levels would result in trash and/or recyclables being left at curbside as the tourist season began.

North Wildwood then ended its contract with GME, with Mayor Patrick Rosenello saying the city would not make agreements under duress. Pinelands Construction started pickup in the city almost immediately.

Ocean City ended its contract with GME later in the summer. In many cases, as GME lost contracts, Pinelands increased its capacity to absorb more customers.

Middle Township, the largest municipality in the county in terms of land area and second-largest in terms of population, was still a GME customer. The township had twice solicited bids for waste and recycling; in both cases the township found the bids as “unresponsible as to price.”

Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.