Here’s The Scoop…. Flashbacks ….The Garbage RFP…FEB. 24, 2009… Mar. 10, 2009 …April 14, 2009 …

Dear Readers…For all of you who opened your Choice garbage bills over the last few days to find the franchise fees…and those who see an inequity between single/multi-family and commercial…along with the per dwelling unit charges…This writer wrote about it…This writer warned the companies at the table on 2/24/09 (see below) this outrage would happen and even talked to Asst. TM Olinzock after the meeting…My efforts fell on deaf ears…
Sad to say, I had much faith in Choice and was rooting for them, thinking they were a standup company…Now I am not so sure. I had a good rapport with them and believed them throughout the RFP process and after they were awarded the contract when we discussed this per unit nightmare that if enacted by the Town would produce the ire of the residents incurring the extra costs…I was assured by not just one Choice representative but a few that said they were required to bring in all of the cans to not breech their contract with the Town …but they [Choice] had worked out a deal with the Town where Choice would be allowed to go to each property and allow an “exception” thereby alleviating the extra cans…and I assumed the extra cost….I am now being told that the properties may have less garbage cans BUT must still pay per dwelling unit!…I have been unsuccessful with receiving a call back from Choice…and it is quite a shock!…I hope they have not been told as the outgoing Fire Marshal was that they are “not allowed” to speak to me, a taxpayer and a customer!… One quite interesting point made by a totally inept Asst. Town Manager on the 24th of Feb……He said the Town was leaning towards carts rather than dumpsters at multi- family properties …quite surprising to re-read especially after the 1 cubic yd dumpster was introduced last meeting by the administration to alleviate the “too many cans” problem…Hmmmm…You will also see below the difference in the old contract and the 2009 Colon Waste RFP ….contrary to the “story” being told by Comm. Clottey and the Administration of dirty deals happening with the previous provider…The changes that we are dealing with come directly from the Town Manager and her unilateral decisions…It’s her contract changes and her desire for more fees…plain and straight!..

Of Note…This was one of the many RFPs that were read aloud at the time the bids were opened…YEP!…

Here’s The Scoop…LBTS Pre- Proposal Conference For Waste, Bulk Waste and Recycling Services….Including…. ALERT FOR DUPLEXES….FOURPLEXES…..CODE/ FEE CHANGE….

Tuesday Feb 24,2009…Non- Manadatory Pre- Proposal Conference….10 am-Jarvis Hall…

(previous public notices RFP-below)

TOWN of LBTS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP 09-02-01

FOR SOLID WASTE,BULK,WASTE,AND RECYCLING COLLECTION SERVICES

specifications may be obtained at a cost of $10 from the office of the Clerk Town Hall

A NON-MANDATORY PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE will be held at Jarvis Hall at 10 am on 2/24/09…Proposal shall be received on or before 2 pm 3/10/09 where shortly thereafter proposal will be opened and read aloud. 1 original and 5 copies must be submitted in sealed packaging and all clearly marked on all outer package and/ or envelope “Sealed Proposal RFP #09-02-01 Solid Waste , Bulk Waste and Recycling Collection Services. Late proposals not to be considered.

RFP includes the following-

Section 1-Background information/Sec. 2- General instructions/Sec. 3- Terms & Conditions/ Sec. 4- Qualification Package Forms/ Sec. 5-Cost Package Forms/ Sec. 6-Agreement

The Town of LBTS reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive any and all informalities, and to accept or reject all or any part of ant proposal as they deem to be in best interest of the citizens of LBTS or the Town of LBTS may reject proposal and re-advertise. June White, Town Clerk

The meeting was a little late in starting…due to the hall being locked…and the staff unaware of the meeting itself…although it was published in the Sentinel…

After a visit to Town Hall for a second time…Asst. John Olinzock arrived around 10:15 offering up reasons for his tardiness…being noticeably “under the weather” and already behind in a very busy day that includes “Taste of the Beach.”…

Arriving to the conference were three companies…Waste management -our current provider represented by Tony Spadaccia, Government Affairs and an attorney…John F. Ferguson of Choice Waste…and Republic Services attendee, Damon Stinson,Director of Municipal Affairs

http://www.wm.com/

Choice e-mail: [email protected]

http://www.republicservices.com/

It was most unfortunate to watch how the Town was represented in this conference with many issues coming up in need of clarification above the Asst. Manager’s pay grade and issues about the requirements themselves being vague…. out of date…. or just plain wrong….

ALERT……MULTI-FAMILY UNIT OWNERS…..

The one that really caught this writer’s attention is the one that will certainly raise the ire of multi-family unit owners….

The present LBTS TOWN CODE…..

ARTICLE II. CONTAINERS AND RECEPTACLES

Sec. 10-27. Required.

The Town has granted a franchise fee for solid waste collection. All property owners in the Town shall dispose of solid waste by service through the Town’s franchisee except as otherwise allowed by law, and shall be required to show proof of same prior to the issuance of an business tax receipt by the Town or the issuance of any other permit or approval; or such proof may be required to be shown to any Town employee upon request by such Town employee.

Every property owner, lessee or tenant shall provide and maintain in good condition a watertight garbage container sufficient in size and capacity to serve each dwelling with twice-weekly service. No container may be used other than a container approved by and/or obtained from the Town’s authorized solid waste collection franchisee. Residents of duplex units may share a common container provided it is of sufficient size to accommodate the joint usage without spillover.

It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to place or cause to be placed solid waste on the property of another for the purpose of avoiding the provisions of this subchapter.

(Ord. No. 386, § 1, 3-25-97; Ord. No. 462, § 2, 1-23-01; Ord. No. 2007-06, § 2, 4-10-07)

………………………………………………………………

The present code states….Every property owner, lessee or tenant shall provide and maintain in good condition a watertight garbage container sufficient in size and capacity to serve each dwelling with twice-weekly service.

The RFP contains….EACH unit will have a cart and recycling bins or cart…

When this writer inquired …Waste Management said currently a premium is paid and one cart could be used for more than one unit….under the new rules that will no longer suffice…one unit…one cart a 96 gallon cart plus recycle …

John Olinzock said the new code (not yet presented or approved by this Commission)…each residence has to have a trash account….

Also coming any multi-family over 3 units must use a recycling cart rather than bins….

If this is as it was presented by John Olinzock at this meeting…a plan to be enacted by this Commission in a new code….I would expect a visit from Rosa the “Tomato Lady” and Frank Herrman at the podium….

Other items discussed …

The language used …when deciphering the CPI and franchise fees…causing a perplexed Asst. Town Manager to say there was a need for clarification…

A law provision causing an inequity to the vendor to increase rates due to unusual circumstances such as DEP charge cost increase…asking if the Town is going to consider that…Asst.Town Manager will need to go back for clarification…

The size of the performance bond being disproportionate…a million dollars was inadequate for the size of this contract…

Bulk pickup is stated to be unlimited in collection times for a single family home…not clear enough …later on it was stated the same for duplexes to have unlimited recycling as well…John Olinzock responded the Commission “is directing us to encourage recycling.”….Hauler is required to provide the bins…to all with Town Logo as seen in other communities……also to be discussed further as we may see a change coming in the next year to “single stream” recycling that means all can be put in the same cart…making the bins obsolete…making it an unnecessary cost to the vendor…Olinzock spoke of the Commission not liking “ads” (meaning name of company on bins)..and related a story…that he once had an opportunity” to get free bus shelters on A1A but it died because it had ads on it”…and that he’s “trying to please a lot of people …keep people happy”…But he will make mention of the possible change that could come…

Discussion took place on dual recycling (bins-separated items) VS “single stream” recycling and the InterLocal Agency requirements…we are under right now…any change would take effect after 10/09 with an educational requirement to be followed first…also it was stated the County may be asked to cover the costs of the recycling carts….

BC- it is said by one reader that the current recycling trucks are not outfitted for recycling carts?….HMMM….

Confusion on no distinction in what is residential…single family/rentals that require occupational licenses/ condos…this too will need clarification …

Waste Management informed Asst. Town Manager Olinzock that the stated weight allowed in the required 96 gallon cart was incorrect…they hold 200 lbs., not 50….Olinzock countered he “surveyed” other communities for that weight…the vendors said that would be for bags and pails…(cans)…

Also no refrigerators or air conditioners and such will be picked up without meeting the certification required that they are CFC free..

CFC – a fluorocarbon with chlorine; formerly used as a refrigerant and as a propellant in aerosol cans; “the chlorine in CFCs causes depletion of atmospheric ozone”

chlorofluorocarbon

HCFC, hydrochlorofluorocarbon – a fluorocarbon that is replacing chlorofluorocarbon as a refrigerant and propellant in aerosol cans; considered to be somewhat less destructive to the atmosphere

pollutant – waste matter that contaminates the water or air or soil

fluorocarbon – a halocarbon in which some hydrogen atoms have been replaced by fluorine; used in refrigerators and aerosols

Freon – any one or more chlorofluorocarbons (or related compounds) that are used as an aerosol propellant, organic solvent, or refrigerant

greenhouse emission, greenhouse gas – a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation

this certification can only be done by a certified individual who provides a certification sticker…otherwise the hauler would face a stiff penalty…this will either be reworded or these items will be no longer allowed for hauling off….The Town Attorney will be taking a look at the inclusion of the guarantee asked from the parent company…being insufficient in the language and in need of another form….

Yard waste needed to be dealt with requiring the size…and weight…(it was a typo with one part) and what will be allowed now is 3 ft. in length in the cart…and for bulk 6” in diameter and 6 ft long…50 lbs.

HUH?…

Now …while the multi-family homes will be required to have 1- 96 gal. cart for each unit…a single family home may NOT have more than 1- cart even when wanting to pay for it…

BC- this homeowner had 2 at one time about 5 years ago…Waste Management said that would no longer be allowed…

More clean-up (pun intended) in the language with the section on the hauler having to replace any cart that is damaged…with no reference to who caused the damage…it will be revised to make it the responsibility of the vendor if caused by them…while the cost will be the resident’s if it is found they are at fault …as they are the “custodians” of the carts….

The section allowing for sideyard collection will be wiped away…remaining will be a section for handicapped exceptions…

GOING GREEN…REQUIRES…ANOTHER ORDINANCE….BUT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES GET CHOICES…

Also contained in the RFP was recycling required for commercial properties…OOPS!…not so fast aTown Ordinance will be required as done in Lee County…http://www.lee-county.com/Pages/default.aspx

What can’t be done by the Town with an Ordinance…they cannot decide who will be the business’ recycling company…per state statute…no such choice for residential owners…

Another point that was made by Waste Management…the insurance being asked for by the hauler to cover sub-contractors in emergency situations such as after a hurricane…no sub-contractors have that amount of insurance and while the hauler can help find the companies that do the after storm debris pickups…it is the Town that deals with the sub-contractors and FEMA…the hauler only provides the the quantities and volumes…as has been the case in the past…LBTS uses Crowder Gulf for these services….http://www.crowdergulf.com/people.html

John Olinzock said the Town was trying to build a “relationship” with the hauler to deal with this type of situation…will need alternative language or be removed from the contract…also will require lowering the insurance required …

The current RFP allows only those companies that have at least 5 years of experience with carts in declared municipalities to submit a bid…leaving any “newbie” out in the cold…which can be looked at either as guaranteeing only certain big companies need apply…thus ensuring we allow for only experienced companies…no startup hassles or it ties us down and thwarts any company with less than 5 years under their belt….John said this one may or may not need clarification…..

Temporary discontinuance of service only applies to single family homes….

Another question needing further input …the delinquency rate charges …not contained in the paperwork…

Joh Olinzock said the Town wants multi-family dwellings to go in the direction of carts rather than dumpsters…

Special collection fees were outdated…using rates from approximately 10 years ago…leaving the vendor no way to increase these charges for the 5 year contract…theses deal with special service charges to commercial properties…dealing with locks…gates etc…Waste Management said it wasn’t a big deal after all …although Choice said it makes for inequitability to those without special services needs in the uniformed costs…being that would be where the difference would come from….

GIVE THEM THANKSGIVING OFF!….

Waste Management asked for their “guys” to get Thanksgiving off…believe it or not…it’s up to the Commission to decide…right now…they only get Christmas off…that should be a big “passes 5-0″!

After going over the points requiring clarification…additions…and deletions…for a formal addendum…..John Olinzock outlined the “significant dates”…in this process…

3/10/09- Bids in and opened oat 2 pm…Jarvis Hall

3/13/09-Town Administration scoring criteria

3/25/09- Negotiating the agreement begins

4/14/09 Approval executed by Town Commission

more to come….

MARCH 10,2009 ….CHOICE BID…(full post in scoops cat)…..

5. Choice Waste Services-Plantation, Fl-Bond -$50,000./ Res sing. fam.-Duplex $17.92 per mo./ Multi- fam.- $16.97 per mo./ Res. dumpster- $899.42 per mo./ Comm. dumpster- $816.11/ Compacted comm. dumpster- $1436.41 per mo./ Roll out dumpster-$454.00/ Emergency preparedness- vegetation & transport- $20.00 per cubic yd.-debris- $25.00 per cubic yd.

http://www.choicewaste.com/

BC- Choice Waste is currently the waste service provider for Fort Lauderdale…with service for recycling town wide …and is just about to be the solid/ bulk waste contractor for the entire city as well…….

The Town had a formula to be followed for the costs…based on the sizes…from a 96 gallon toter-8 cubic yards….to be added to the pick-ups per week…those totals were divided by 30 to come up with the averages…of the costs per mo….they include the franchise fees….

While they included the cost for compacted commercial dumpsters the rep. from Waste management informed me there are currently no such compactors in town to do this….

APRIL 14, 2009 ….CONTRACT GOES TO CHOICE….(LBTS Agenda/Meetings cat.)…

4/14/09 …Town Manager Report…

8. Discussion and/or action regarding RFP 09-02-01 Waste haulers (Manager Colon)

Last month (previous LBTS agenda/meeting category post) Choice Waste Services won the job…now it comes down to the negotiations…and the agreement…contained in the backup online (link below)…The Commissioners threw out some terms they wanted included …but they were not voted on at the time of the meeting…they were just the inclusion desired by that particular dais member…such as Vice Mayor McIntee saying 2 times he wanted new trucks only…NOT in the agreement……He also asked in his “grilling” of the companies if they would take less than a 5 year contract…which does appear in the agreement …with 3 years. to begin with three-3 year renewals…..But did the Commission actually decide to go for less than 5?…Also brought up by Comm. Dodd but not included in this agreement… the 96 gallon toter being the only size allowed…Still in the RFP is the required 96 toter along with recycle bin PER ” dwelling unit”…in a multi-family thus enacting a change from the present choice (pun intended) that lets landlords/owners decide how many toters are truly required by their tenants and on their limited lot size properties…undoubtedly increasing their costs as well….UPDATE…THIS WAS ADDRESSED AND WILL CONTINUE AS IS ALLOWED PRESENTLY….The waste employees will get an additional holiday off…in addition to Xmas…New Years Day…(this needed to be voted on to allow)…The recycle bins and containers will have the Town logo on them and will be replaced by Choice if stolen or damaged beyond repair…in an unlimited number of replacements with no charge to the resident or Town…garbage toters will be repaired or replaced within 2 days…also no charge to residents or Town…Asked for and included “portalets” for special events…(4th of July…with the real number required per the County?)….The Town has the right to change the size of the toters and frequency of pick-ups and Choice “shall adjust accordingly’…with the customers being responsible for the increase or decrease in the costs…The Town can change the billing practices at anytime…(there was discussion at the CIC Town Hall meeting to put it on our ad valorem taxes)……”Corporate Goodwill”…Choice will pay Town upon award the current franchise fee rate on gross single family/residential collections portion of this agreement 3.76% …1X per month will be electronic waste pickups…..a rebate of $20 +/- per ton on all recycled products from Town owned and operated buildings….5 recycled computers (if available) for the Senior Center….Admin. fees $3.76 gross single fam/res. on agreement…The final numbers…Residential Single Family $17.92/ Multi-family $18.37…(the rest of the costs in the backup material…link below)…The Law firm representing Choice Waste Service…Rothstein,Rosenfeldt and Adler…http://rra-law.com/

June 1,2009 is the date to begin…It is 30 days before the Waste Management contract ends…but we hear Waste Management will refund for that 30 day overlap…

Public comment is welcome…Multi-Family Building owners may want to speak up!….UPDATE…A READER GAVE THE HEADS UP…UNDERLINED WAS THE PRESENT ALLOWED LESS TOTERS. PUT IN THE NEW AGREEMENT…..Thanks…Reader…

From angry residents…there is definitely more to come…

Tags: Choice Waste Services, Lauderdale By The Sea Town Manger Esther Colon, Scoops

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