Vidalia may contract garbage pickup posted Wednesday, December 12th, 2012 @ 2:12 pm  E-mail Story |  Print Story  Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said the town is considering hiring a private contractor to handle garbage collection, which presently costs the town about $800,000 annually. Copeland appointed aldermen Maureen Saunders and Triand McCoy to a committee to look into the matter. "We can't continue the way we are going now," he said, noting that costs are escalating annually. "I think we're about the only town around that still picks up its own garbage." He said town crews will continue to handle limb pickup even if a private contractor is hired. Eight employees work in the sanitation department, he said. "We're working with the contractors and talking to them about hiring some of these employees and we're looking at keeping some," Copeland said. "But we haven't made a decision." Additionally, he said the town's 25-year landfill contract expires in 2013. For the full story, subscribe to the The Concordia Sentinel's NEW E-Edition!