BFI OFFERS THE BEST DEAL FOR CITY WASTE DISPOSAL.

Byline: Keith Hester

There are many positives for the city of Santa Clarita in negotiating a long-term agreement for trash pickup and recycling with Allied/Browning-Ferris Industries as opposed to extending the current agreements or placing the service out to bid.

The most obvious advantage is the rate reduction BFI is offering the residents.

It has been said that BFI made its offer after having the opportunity to see the proposal from the existing haulers, Blue Barrel Disposal and Atlas Disposal.

But the city staff did not make a report to the City Council until Feb. 13, with final details and numbers, after BFI made its proposal. Even if that were not the case, the current haulers had every opportunity to negotiate with the city to lower the rates to a more acceptable level.

Santa Clarita pays more than 66 other communities and less than just nine other communities in Los Angeles County for trash and recycling collection services. BFI owns and operates a local landfill - Sunshine Canyon - with 25 years of life into the future. This is a real key factor in stabilizing current and future rates. It also ensures waste disposal opportunities for Santa Clarita well into the future.

BFI's proposal to the city of Santa Clarita is more closely aligned to the wishes of the City Council as distributed to the staff. It was stated in the council meeting on Feb. 13 that the city received 100 percent of what it had asked for in the negotiations. That simply is not the case.

BFI has reduced the residential rates by 20 percent in its proposal. The age limit to be eligible for the senior citizen rate was to have been lowered, but I believe it was raised to 65. BFI has proposed age 62 and a 12 percent senior reduction.

There were other issues as well but these I feel are the key components. BFI's proposal is simply better in these areas. We have also remained consistent in our position with regard to offering trash services at temporary construction sites. We do not feel it is a good idea and made that clear in our proposal to the city.

The Elsmere Canyon land is an added bonus to negotiating with BFI. If BFI were to offer the lowest bid, I would hope that the city would award the business to BFI based upon its experience, qualifications and ability to stabilize future pricing due to the landfill.

By negotiating a long-term agreement with BFI for a contract to start in five years, the city would capture the lowest rates for its residents and obtain the Elsmere property as well.

Simply stated, BFI's proposal is just better. It lowers the residential rates substantially, provides for residential and commercial recycling, protects the city from a legal standpoint at the landfill, guarantees landfill space into the future, provides a green-waste processing site at Sunshine Canyon, and gives the city a valuable pice of property for open space and recreational purposes.