Business

City Manager: City "Anticipates" Trash Contract to be Approved by Council Tuesday

By Joe Hyde, Jun 30, 2014
 

City of San Angelo staff still "anticipates" approval of the new trash contract with Republic Tuesday morning, said City Manager Daniel Valenzuela Monday afternoon.

Competing bidder Texas Disposal Systems held a press conference at 1:30 p.m. today and outlined in detail how their allegations that Republic Services overcharged commercial customers over 14 years were computed. TDS CEO also owns Acme Iron and Metal, a San Angelo business.

Acme is the primary plaintiff on a lawsuit filed against Republic to recoup the overcharges. Stanley Mayfield, CEO of Mayfield Paper Co., another San Angelo business, said his company is also a plaintiff on the lawsuit. The lawsuit was officially filed just after noon today, said TDS' lawyer Gary Newton.

TDS CEO Bob Gregory used the remaining time in the one hour and 15 minute press conference to break down the contract that will be voted upon Tuesday morning at the regular San Angelo City Council Meeting.

City Manager Daniel Valenzuela issued the following statement following the TDS press conference:

The City of San Angelo greatly appreciates Republic Services working with us to resolve questions regarding charges commercial customers have paid. That process has resulted in Republic agreeing to refund in full all excess fees charged to its approximately 2,000 commercial customers beyond those reflected in the waste collection fee schedule. It is important to note this situation has not touched any of our more than 30,000 residential customers.

A question has been publicly raised as to the findings of the City’s internal auditor regarding unauthorized charges. Working with Republic, the internal auditor found environmental recovery fees and some fuel surcharges were not supported by City Council action. But because of the sheer volume of the billing records involved, there is no way for us to know precisely how much money is involved. That’s why the City endorsed Republic’s hiring of a third-party, external auditing firm that will independently determine the amounts owed to each of the commercial customers touched by unauthorized fees.

Moving forward, the City anticipates approval of a solid waste contract that will very shortly result in an increased level of service at the lowest possible cost for customers and the least financial risk for their municipal government.

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(Moving forward, the City anticipates approval of a solid waste contract that will very shortly result in an increased level of service at the lowest possible cost for customers and the least financial risk for their municipal government.) How can the City Manager say that when weekly service is reduced to once a week (regular service, from twice a week? Not including the once a week recycle pick-up, why, not many residential customers are going to separate trash anyway. Plus, cost is going up 48%. Citizens are getting the shaft on this one, for sure.

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While the City Manager said he "anticipates approval of a solid waste contract that will provide an increased level of service at the lowest possible cost for customers and the least financial risk for their municipal government," he did not say when he anticipates that happening. Anthony Wilson Public Information Officer City of San Angelo
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Is this San Angelo or Austin? We moved here a couple years ago from Round Rock. This kind of sounds like what happened there not too long ago. Its a shame our society has turned suit happy. So Sad.
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I heard there's going to be (7) strategically placed, existing residential drop off sites if your garbage overflows from only having it picked up once a week?
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I have just spent some time researching. I like everyone else do not like paying more for anything, trash, water, taxes...But I checked and found that the trash rates for residential service is higher in Austin, Midland, Abilene, Alpine, Coleman and Brownwood. Having come here from Round Rock our rates were over $17.00 2 years ago, not sure now. Some serviced by Cities, some by Republic and some by TDS. So after checking into this am not happy to pay more but glad to not have to pay what those folks do. We complain about 48%, but not about 64% which I believe the city said was the difference in the proposals. So are we complaining about the rate? About the service? Commercial fees? (even though most of us are residential), or just jumping on a bandwagon cause someone is being overly vocal. I believe our city has numerous issues to work out so we need to put this away and lets move on. Honestly how many of us would have complained on the higher rate if the proposal had gone the other way?
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live, Tue, 07/01/2014 - 00:45

Throughout this opaque process, you won't get much from the city except "just wait until the whole thing is made public, you'll see." But we haven't seen much, and what we do see are glimpses, or late releases of the negotiated contract 14 hours after city council agendas or usually released. Here is the TDS response to the City's RFP.  I haven't seen a Republic response. There's a citizen, Charles Young, who made an Open Records request for a copy of both RFP responses back in April. He hasn't seen either of the RFP responses. He said today that the City told the Texas AG that he had cancelled his request.

Here's the entire TDS response to the RFP, as submitted in April. (warning, large *PDF)

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The proposed garbage collection rate for residential customers is $13.97 per month, which includes curbside recycling and quarterly bulk pickup of items such as furniture and large appliances. That does not amount to a 48-percent increase. Residential customers will continue to receive service twice weekly - once for recyclables and once for other waste. Customers will be issued 96-gallon rolling and lidded carts for each. Anthony Wilson Public Information Officer City of San Angelo
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Dear people of San Angelo. Do you not understand how good you have it? The price you pay per month now for twice a week residential trash pick-up is very low compared to other cities around the state. A few $ more a month won't hurt you, it will only help the already underpaid employees who bust their asses to pick up all of your trash. You People don't understand there Is a limit to how much trash that can be picked up per stop. But when people set out 5 cans of grass and 50 bags of leaves we still pick it up. Complaining about an extra 3 $ and some change is just petty and just shows how much people don't appreciate what we do for them even though we're just garbage men.
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If you honestly believe that the increased revenue that Republic receives from the $4 price hike is going to make its way back to employee pockets, then you are seriously misguided. The whole debate is not about whether we are angry that Republic is increasing rates. It IS about that they are decreasing service AND increasing rates to cover the upcoming penalty that they know will be forced upon them for the overcharges of commercial service.
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The change in management we received at republic services has been geared toward supporting its costomers and employees better. We already received a nice pay increase last year from minimum, But it was limited per the budget we have to work with. When the price for service increases the employees will see a difference.
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I hope with our (the citizens) extra $$ in your pocket from this increase you will take a little pride in the job you busy your butt at! I can't count how many times I have had to pick up trash off my street / alley after y'all come by. My complaint has never been the increase, it's the lack of customer service I have revived from Republic on numerous occasions. I hope your company steps back and takes a long look at how you represent this city & your company.
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If any Republic employees think they are getting a pay raise they are in for a surprise. It looks like there will be several people looking for a new Job when the automated trucks come around. What now takes 3 employees to do a job will now only take 1.
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Does anyone know if you can opt out of city provided trash service and hire a private company to pick up your trash? I have done this in other city's that I have lived in and got much better service for the same price.
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First of all loose trash will naturally fall out of a truck, if you want to decrease the amount of trash in the streets etc. then bag your trash, tie it well, and put a lid on the can. One of the biggest issues with trash messes are stray animals such as cats, and dogs. Secondly you can opt out of city provided trash services. But good luck finding an other company to pick it up. In order to remove trash in the city you need a permit. And republic is the only one that has such a permit. If it was otherwise then there wouldn't have been a big struggle over a contract.
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And as for the person who thinks he or she knows about employees losing jobs. If he or she knew anything on the topic then he or she would know that people won't lose there jobs. Their position will be shifted elsewhere. ie a recycling facility will still need employees.
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That's called a Monopoly, usually illegal in most places but not in good ole boy San Angelo. I'm glad the city manager is happy to report that 30,000 residential customers are not affected, except of course for the 48% increase in fees. He needs to take his sorry butt back to Ft. Stockton. Just dump your trash in the street, where most of it ends up anyway!
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You still don't understand that you're trash pick up is cheaper than other cities where there is competition even after the price increase
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I have read where the city plans on using issued receptacles that use a mechanical arm to dump the trash. If that's coming down the pipeline I'm sure it means less waste technicians will be needed, right?
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A few extra dollars on trash pickup, a few extra dollars on property taxes...it starts to add up. I'm glad a few extra dollars doesn't mean anything to you, but for many, it could mean making a decision between buying food or medicine.
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Noneya...I don't live in other cities where trash pick up is MORE...I live in San Angelo.
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Noneya...I don't live in other cities where trash pick up is MORE...I live in San Angelo.
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Also I think people want everything picked up no matter what they put out. Wether it be brush. appliances, construction material, or furniture. Even though we aren't supposed to pick it up we do it anyway.
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live, Tue, 07/01/2014 - 18:35

RE: [Anthony Wilson] said:

While the City Manager said he "anticipates approval of a solid waste contract that will provide an increased level of service at the lowest possible cost for customers and the least financial risk for their municipal government," he did not say when he anticipates that happening.

When the only contract on the table, and the only news of the day is a Republic Services contract that was published in a city council agenda packet Saturday morning, to what other contract is the city manager referring? Is there some sort of alternate reality at city hall?

Joe Hyde

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