Butler City Council was given a recommendation Tuesday to meet with prospective bidders for the city's trash and recycling collection contract to avoid making unattractive bid specifications that could dissuade companies from bidding or drive bid prices up.

The bid specifications were discussed at Tuesday's council meeting. The new contract would run from 2021 to 2023, replacing the existing three-year contract with Waste Management. That contract expires this year.

Mayor Ben Smith said he wants to have collection of electronics included in the new contract.

Smith said he sees TVs left outside by residents, but the current garbage contract doesn't include the collection of TVs and electronic devices.

Butler Township's contract with Waste Management allows residents to schedule curbside collection appointments for electronics, he said.

State law requires the recycling of electronic devices, said code enforcement officer John Evans.

He said the county operates a recycling program for electronics, and his office provides information about the program in enforcement letters sent to people who leave their electronics outside.

City officials also said garbage collectors might not bid on the contract if it requires them to collect glass for recycling because of market declines for recycled glass.

Officials said they want the contract to include senior citizen discounts.

Solicitor Tom Breth suggested that council meet with potential bidders to review the bid specifications before advertising for bids to avoid having “poison pills” in the specifications that could drive up the cost of the contract or dissuade collectors from bidding.

Council didn't act on the recommendation, but Smith said he wants to have such a meeting.

In other business, council waived the rental fee for the Community Cat Network to conduct a spay and neutering clinic at the farmers market Aug. 6.

Council also waived the rental fee for the Butler County Humane Society to hold a rabies clinic at the farmers market from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 22.

In addition, council accepted the resignation of Officer William Dobson from the police department effective June 22.