TUSTIN : Council to Seek Bids on 1998 Trash Pact

A split City Council has approved opening the city trash collection to competitive bidding in 1998 when the current contract with Great Western Reclamation expires.

The council voted 3 to 2 this week to let other trash companies compete for both the residential and commercial trash collection contracts, ending the practice of routinely renewing Great Western Reclamation’s contract.

“I don’t want us to feel as if we’re hiding something,” said Councilman Jeffrey Thomas. “The openness is good for the city.” Voting with him was Mayor Leslie Anne Pontious and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Potts.

Several residents spoke in favor of the change. “It makes good sense to have an option,” said Zipora Shiftberg-Mencher. “It’s unfair to lock us up in a perpetual contract. Your wisest move is to shop around.”

Others questioned the move. Councilman Thomas R. Saltarelli said that Great Western Reclamation has provided “excellent” service and that “it makes no sense” to change.

Great Western Reclamation has had an exclusive contract with the city since 1977, when it acquired Holtha Disposal, a small trash-hauling company that had provided the same service for years.

The current five-year contract with Great Western Reclamation expires in June, but it automatically renews each year for the next five years unless the city can show that service has fallen below certain standards and the contractor has failed, after being given notice, to fix the problem.

In addition, the city must give the contractor a one-year notice if it wants to end the franchise.

“No one has ever questioned our service and our ability to perform,” said David Ross, Great Western Reclamation general manager. “But we appreciate the council’s time in reviewing the contract. This type of issue warrants examination.”

He said, however, that his company has not received anything in writing from the city and is “a little unclear about what action was taken and we’re waiting for clarification.”

Irma Hernandez of the Finance Department said the city pays about $75,000 a month to Great Western Reclamation for residential trash service.

Commercial rates, which are set between businesses and the company, are based on the size of the bins and how often trash is picked up.