BELLEAIR BLUFFS – Waste Management, the city’s long-time waste hauling firm, will likely be around for another few years.
A motion to hire Waste Services, a competing firm who submitted a lower bid to take over city waste collection, failed at Monday night’s City Commission meeting. Following a 2-2 tie vote on the motion, Mayor Chris Arbutine declared that the current contract with Waste Management would remain in effect. Arbutine’s assessment was backed by City Attorney Thomas Trask.
The deadlock vote came about because Commissioner Robert Russo was absent from the meeting. Russo has often expressed dissatisfaction with waste collection in the city, and would have been expected to cast the deciding vote in favor of the change.
The motion to switch waste haulers was made by Commissioner David Shimkus and was supported by Commissioner Troy Krotz. They voted in favor, while Arbutine and Commissioner Brett Nelson voted no.
Following the vote, Shimkus asked Trask whether the matter could be brought up again when the entire commission was present. Trask said that the vote had settled the issue. Shimkus could have asked for a postponement of the vote earlier, Trask said.
After the vote, a motion to reconsider the matter can only be made by Arbutine or Nelson, who prevailed in the earlier vote, Trask said.
“Phooey,” was Shimkus’ response to Trask’s comments.
The performance of Waste Management, the city’s waste hauler for 21 years, came under fire during the hurricane season two years ago when the company’s bills for pickup following hurricanes Frances and Jeanne were higher than expected. Since that time residents have complained to the commission about various waste pickup issues. Other residents have spoken in favor of the company’s service, and the commission has been divided over the issue.
At Monday’s meeting, two former commissioners spoke in favor of keeping the status quo. John Tabor said that he had initiated the original contract with Waste Management 21 years ago and has seen few problems in the firm’s service. Tabor said that commissioners’ complaints about the company were based on emotion rather than substance.
Wallace Witham, another former commissioner, said that a cost of living adjustment clause in Waste Services proposed contract could result in price increases every year or two. Waste Management’s last price increase was in 1994.
Shimkus said after the meeting that he planned to research Roberts Rules of Order, which the commission follows for procedure, with an eye to revisiting the waste collection issue when all commissioners are present. He also said that he will be absent at next month’s meeting.
Faulty fence needs fixing
A dilapidated fence behind Antique Alley was in place before the city’s buffering requirements were enacted and therefore does not have to be brought up to current standards, Trask said. However, the condition of the fence can be considered a public nuisance that must be corrected.
Parts of the fence were blown down during hurricanes two years ago and have not been repaired, according to Shimkus. Notices sent to the property owners have gotten no response, Public Works Director Robert David said.
