Bertolotti Disposal has been doing fine collecting the garbage of Ceres residents, members of the City Council determined last week, as they went on to give the company more years to its contract.

The city approved Bertolotti's latest contract in 2010 but the company has been the city's refuse collector for 45 years. City Manager Toby Wells said the company has been providing "outstanding service" to Ceres but the contract was an eight-year contract with a provision that after eight years the contract would roll over year to year. The contract is written that the contract would continue unless the city provides notice.

Wells said the city continues to have talks with the company to possibly modify the contract for a three-can system.

The company provides a bulky item pickup for Ceres residents two times a year.

Steve Holloway, the general manager of Bertolotti, said the lengthy contract with Ceres allows the company to amortize its investment as well as finance new purchases. The longer contract also allows that amortization to translate into lower costs for residents, such as if the city decides to go to a third can and the company must buy new cans.

The company has over 20,000 cans serving Ceres and he said without the home contract the company would "go under."

Bertolotti has hauled away 300 to 400 tons during bulky item community clean-ups and 22 tons for the year.

Vice Mayor Mike Kline said he appreciates the company.

"There is quite a bit of advantage of what we have in the city of Ceres that a lot of other cities don't have," said Kline, "and that's leaf and limb pick-up. They pick up leaf and limb all the time, especially when your recycling is out, when they used to do it twice a year. They pick up bulky items that I know a lot of citizens who are new to the area don't know about. You can call them (and) they'll give you a 24-hour notice when they're going to pick it up and you put it out at the curb 24 hours in advance - refrigerators, dishwashers and different things like that. They've done a good job."

Councilman Ken Lane wanted to move forward with the contract and noted that should problems arise, there is a clause that allows either party to raise concerns and iron out any problems.

"You've guys have done an outstanding job," said Lane. "I can remember as a kid, you guys were going down alleys for the cans. That was a long time ago."

Councilman Bret Durossette agreed and commented that he didn't feel the need for Ceres to go with a third can.

With no council action, the contract continues with review only if issues come up.