MOORPARK : Tentative Trash Agreement OKd

A committee of Moorpark city officials has negotiated a tentative franchise agreement with two east county companies for pickup of both commercial and residential trash.

The agreement would give G. I. Industries and Anderson Disposal an eight-year renewable contract to pick up trash for about 7,000 customers in Moorpark, said Councilman John Wozniak, who served on the committee with Councilman Pat Hunter.

“I think we’ve worked out an agreement that is pretty good for the trash companies and the city,” Wozniak said.

The full City Council will consider the contract at its next meeting Sept. 20.

Officials from Browning Ferris Industries, whose attempts to bid on the trash contracts were rebuffed this spring, were told in writing this summer that they were welcome to submit bids but that the committee would continue its closed-door negotiations with G. I. and Anderson.

The Texas-based firm had told city leaders in April that it could save the city 30% to 40% on what residents and businesses now pay for trash hauling, but city leaders worried that the company was trying to kill the local competitors by underbidding them, only to raise rates later.

Wozniak would not go into detail on the tentative contract but said it would include rate reductions and added service for recycling lawn and garden trimmings.