The City attorneys are arguing that the City is just picking a company, that the decision for where the chosen company will put the trash will be made subsequent to choosing the company. From the News & Record:
Jim Clark, an assistant city attorney, argued that the city is signing a contract, not picking a site. Deciding where to dispose of household waste will be up to whoever wins the contract, he said.In direct contradiction, Waste Industries has a full page ad in this week's Rhino Times that says those things will happen in reverse order, saying that if the city decides to re-open the landfill to household garbage, then Waste Industries is the company to choose. A portion of the ad:
The City: When we choose a company, then that company will decide about re-opening the landfill.
Waste Industries: If the city decides to reopen the landfill, then choose us.
So which is it? A company chosen first then location selected or location selected then company chosen? And who exactly is going to decide about re-opening White Street to household waste? Clark's assertion that it will be up to a company is ignorant -- or insulting. Somebody needs to get their story straight.
Roch:
ReplyDeleteIn keeping with the "no decisions have been made" theme, the City Council also needs to commit to a 15-year agreement.
Right, good point.
ReplyDeleteI also posted this at Ed's but here goes:
ReplyDelete"When the landfill is full then it can continue to operate as a public/private transfer station and recycling center. There are no more properties in Guilford County that will get approval from NCDENR and EPA to be used as for a landfill, thus all existing landfills will eventually close and/or be converted to transfer stations and landfill mines. A foot in the door. This is what the waste disposal companies are shooting for. It doesn't matter to them if they can't expand because they've done their cost and profit estimates based on worst case scenarios-- the worst case being no further expansion of the landfill.
Whichever company wins will get 15 years of property usage at no cost. That in itself is worth $Millions. In the meantime the winner charges the city for land-filling, recycling and waste disposal. A transfer station at White Street will be necessary as these companies will separate and recycle lots of materials the City recycling program doesn't handle. Or doesn't handle well.
As to the reason a 15 year contract is required: either of these companies will be buying and bringing in new equipment the City does not currently have, to the tune of $Millions and will need time to recoup their investments.
I know and I've done business with both parties involved, I know what they do and how they do it. To assume that either company will bury everything in the ground is ludicrous. If the average consumer knew the value of the things you throw away then we'd have no need for municipal waste services.
There is value in everything you throw away-- everything. These guys know that and they know how to profit from it. They also know that putting garbage in a hole is dumb.
And finally, If they get the contract then the winner will make $Billions from the mining of what is already underground.
So why don't these companies come out and say they won't need to expand the landfill? Simple: They're hoping for a best case scenario."