Oakland Mayor, Garbage Companies Reach Deal
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- A tentative agreement has been reached to settle a dispute over the city of Oakland's garbage contract, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and garbage company officials said Thursday.
Waste Management, which is based in Houston and is the country's largest trash hauler, has provided garbage service in Oakland for more than 100 years, but on Aug. 13 the Oakland City Council voted to award a new $1 billion contract to California Waste Solutions, and Oakland firm.
The contract was to start next July 1 and last for 20 to 30 years.
But Waste Management filed a lawsuit several days after the council's vote, alleging that the council "appeared heavily swayed by long-term personal and political connections" in voting to award the contract to California Waste Solutions.
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Waste Management also launched a voter-referendum drive to overturn the council's decision.
Quan and officials from Waste Management and California Waste Solutions said in a joint statement Thursday that they've reached a tentative agreement after working together for several weeks "to negotiate an agreement that would maintain low rates for Oakland residents and ensure consistent pick-up service."
Quan and the garbage company officials also said they believe the agreement will "continue making Oakland among the greenest cities in the United States."
The mayor and the company officials said they will release the details of the pact Friday so the public can review it before a special City Council meeting on the matter that will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.
Quan and the company officials said, "By coming together to work through tough issues, everyone involved has put Oakland first."
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