Delay Sought on Sale of G. I. Industries

City officials have asked a bankruptcy court judge to delay a decision on the sale of a local, financially troubled garbage-hauling company, seeking more time to review how the sale would affect Moorpark.

The city manager’s office sent a letter July 16 to Judge Robin Riblet, asking her to postpone a final decision on the sale of Simi Valley-based G. I. Industries to Western Waste Industries, said Mary Lindley, assistant to Moorpark’s city manager.

Riblet had been scheduled to consider the sale at a hearing today.

G. I. Industries has exclusive contracts to collect garbage in Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and nearby unincorporated areas of Ventura County.

The company has been in bankruptcy reorganization for the past three years.

In April, Riblet approved the sale, but made her decision contingent on G. I.’s ability to secure the blessings of the three cities and the county.

Simi Valley and the county have approved the deal, but Moorpark and Thousand Oaks have not.

Thousand Oaks and Moorpark officials said they need more time to consider G. I.’s sale to Torrance-based Western Waste, which has been hit with allegations that it made payoffs to a Louisiana legislator and a Compton city councilwoman.

With Moorpark’s City Council now in recess, and Thousand Oaks’ not set to meet again until September, neither city could reach a decision on the sale before today’s meeting, city officials said.