No wasted opportunity with new $1.5m contract

Endeavour Foundation CEO David Barbagallo visited Warwick on Friday to sign a contract with Southern Downs Regional Council for the continued management of waste facilities and recycling services.
Mr Barbagallo said the $1.5 million three and a half-year contract demonstrated the council’s proactive approach to waste management.
“Endeavour Foundation has had a great partnership with Southern Downs Regional Council and it’s a pleasure to sign a new agreement and confirm our continued work together,” Mr Barbagallo said.
“Endeavour Foundation first signed on to run the weighbridge and gate house for the Warwick waste station prior to council amalgamations,” he said.
“Since then we have also been contracted to manage entry to the waste facility at Stanthorpe. This new $1.5 million contract will bring both waste facilities and the collection of recyclables from all of the transfer stations in the region into the one agreement until 2015.
“We also manage the recycling centres and this provides meaningful employment for more than 30 people with a disability in the region,” Mr Barbagallo said.
“Supported employees of our Warwick Business Service reclaim any saleable items and clean them for sale at the Tip Shop, and we are able to recycle cardboard, plastic, cans and a number of other materials, significantly reducing landfill.”
Southern Downs Regional Council has redeveloped the Warwick waste facility in recent years, installing a weighbridge and gatehouse.
The same state-of-the-art facilities, allowing the introduction of kerbside recycling, have also been built at Stanthorpe with a weighbridge to be added by early 2012.
The new contract gives Endeavour Foundation the right to operate both Warwick and Stanthorpe from 2012.
Mayor Ron Bellingham said he was delighted to sign with Endeavour to continue to manage recycling activities in the region.
“This council has taken major strides forward in waste management in recent years and is recognised as a leader in south east Queensland,” Cr Bellingham said.
“In addition to the Stanthorpe and Warwick facilities, we have a brand new waste transfer station in Allora and plans are in place to build similar state-of-the-art facilities at Wallangarra and Dalveen,” he said.
“Recyclable waste collected at these transfer stations will be sent to Stanthorpe and Warwick where it will be processed by Endeavour staff to further reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
“From my point of view, the partnership with Endeavour has been a success story as far as our community is concerned,” Cr Bellingham said.
“Not only does it help the environment and extend the life of local landfills, it gives employment opportunities to people with disabilities in this region to be gainfully employed and the community values their contribution.
Mr Barbagallo said the expertise Endeavour Foundation had gained by working with the Southern Downs Regional Council had enabled them to provide similar services to other councils – such as the Brisbane City Council Tip Shop, and waste transfer facilities at Buderim, Kenilworth and Yandina on the Sunshine Coast.
Any funds raised are used to support people with a disability.
Endeavour Foundation provides support for more than 3350 people with a disability, at 230 locations throughout Queensland and in Sydney.