Babylon hauler to maintain areas around sumps

The Town of Babylon’s commercial garbage company has again agreed to maintain the areas surrounding the town’s sumps.

Winters Brothers, of Westbury, has “adopted” the maintenance of the exterior of the town’s 150 sumps. The adoption was recently approved by the town at a board meeting.

The company has been adopting sumps for the past four years, said town spokesman Tim Ruggeri, in an effort to be “a good community partner.” Winters Brothers maintains the area around the sump from the fence to the curb, not the actual sumps, he said. Ruggeri said the adoption is similar to the town’s Adopt-A-Spot program, in which local businesses volunteer to beautify and maintain public spaces such as road medians. He estimated that the adoption of the sumps saves the town $25,000 a year, as the department of public works crew is freed up to do other work.

Winters Brothers has been contracted with the town since 2007 and has a current contract that extends until 2021, with two five-year extensions at the town’s discretion. Winters Brothers is one of six companies seeking the town’s residential garbage contract. An independent evaluation committee is reviewing the bids for that contract.

Above: Babylon Town Hall