Carson Awards Exclusive Contract to Western Waste

Rejecting proposals submitted by several hauling companies, the Carson City Council this week affirmed a decision made two months ago to award an exclusive franchise for commercial trash collection to Western Waste Industries of Gardena.

Tuesday’s action awards Western Waste the exclusive franchise but does not approve a specific contract. The rates under the contract will based on a formula using rates drawn from at least four yet-to-be selected cities, Councilman Michael Mitoma said.

Western Waste, which already has an exclusive contract to haul Carson’s residential trash, agreed to provide the city with residential curbside recycling without additional charge.

Under the Western Waste proposal, the city agreed to alter the existing twice-a-week residential trash pickup by designating one day for recyclables and the other day for trash.

The plan had come under attack from several commercial waste haulers when it was initially approved in June. The haulers, who currently operate in the city, complained that the council had not sought competitive bids before originally awarding in June the exclusive franchise, worth about $5 million in annual gross revenues.

Although the city was not legally required to solicit bids, the council decided earlier this month to request proposals from other haulers and review the franchise decision.

Five vendors responded to the request, said Lawrence Olson, director of public safety.

Representatives of several hauling companies who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting said the council gave them too little time and inadequate specifications to generate and cost out proposals. The city mailed letters dated Aug. 9 and requested responses by Aug. 16.

After the vote, the haulers criticized the council for not seriously considering the solicited proposals and claimed that the re-evaluation of the franchise was done for appearances only.

“I’m not satisfied. I don’t think they treated our response seriously,” said Ron Pfeifer of Browning-Ferris Industries. BFI does about $1 million in annual business in Carson hauling commercial trash. The company last month had lodged a formal complaint with the council, saying that the city did not properly notify the public before awarding Western Waste the franchise in June.

One of Pfeifer’s suggestions to the council was that the city continue to support non-exclusive commercial hauling and pay for residential recycling in other ways.

Councilwoman Sylvia Muise said she supported the current non-exclusive arrangement and was the only council member to vote against the Western Waste franchise.

Several haulers warned that an exclusive contract will mean higher fees. “Competition is the only thing that guarantees competitive prices,” said Dan Rosenthal of Sub-haulers Containers Service in Los Angeles.

Mitoma argued that the exclusive commercial contract will make it easier for the city to regulate recycling of the city’s commercial waste, which will eventually be necessary to meet state-mandated goals.