Tag Archives: Advanced Disposal Services

ADS wants a trash collection rate hike: who could have forseen? @ LCC 2014-12-08

Who could have forseen the rate hike ADS requested Monday morning at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session? Maybe anybody who noticed that ADS’ bid was 40% more than its quickly-acquired subsidiary Veolia’s bid.

Update 2014-12-10: No report from ADS in the board packet. Joe Adgie reported on this topic in the VDT 10 December 2014, Advanced Disposal wants price increase.

1. Call to Order 4.Minutes for Approval 8a.Advanced Disposal 8.a. Advanced Disposal —Steve Edwards (work session)

Video. ADS wants to amend the exclusive franchise for solid waste collection due to “lost revenue and unanticipated costs”. And their number one reason: competition with “another hauler”, in other words Continue reading →

Pipeline resolution, Trash report, Tourism + KLVB appointments @ LCC 2014-12-08

The Resolution against the Sabal Trail pipeline they already sent to FERC is on the agenda for voting. Congratulations in advance for doing that!

Advanced Disposal is back to report on their trash disposal. Did they turn in their required written report this time? How about that recycling? ADS’ Steve Edwards scheduled to report is the same who couldn’t forsee any further acquisitions before they bought three more companies. And a bunch of appointments, contracts, calendars, etc. in a very full agenda.

Shortly after the previous Commission meeting, almost a month ago, I filed an open records request for the board packet. Today at 4:35PM I got a call saying it’s ready. It takes me 30 minutes to get there. They close at 5PM.

Here’s the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

ADS included household trash in their recyclded items –Tim Carroll

Personal recollection from Valdosta City Council Tim Carroll received today on ADS fails to recycle, appeals DSS ruling anyway, adding detail that wasn’t in the VDT article.

The main problem the City was having with ADS was they included household trash in their recycled items. Used diapers and other household products mixed in with recycle materials is not allowed. The City advised ADS back to this past October of the issue and no improvements were made. Eventually the city had no choice but to cut them off. The City is a regional hub for recycle material and proud to offer the service.

OK, so is that a violation of the county’s “exclusive franchise” with ADS?

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Lowndes County can’t make a monopoly –Judge Harry J. Altman on DSS in VDT

Maybe filing the lawsuit in the first place was “premature”, to use Chairman Bill Slaughter’s word in the VDT yesterday about a possible appeal. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall had the common courtesy on WCTV to apologize to DSS for the unnecessary lawsuit. How much did the Commission spend on that waste of time and effort?

Editor Kay Harris wrote on the front page of the Valdosta Daily Times yesterday, Company wins fight to stay in business: Deep South wins case brought by County,

Southern Circuit Judge Harry J. Altman issued a ruling Monday in the civil action filed by Lowndes County against Deep South Sanitation, LLC to enjoin Deep South from continuing its garbage business. Advanced Disposal Services was later added as an intervenor plaintiff in the case against Deep South as well.

In the ruling, Altman denied the County’s request for an injunction to put Deep South out of business. The order addresses the County’s ordinance passed in 2012, saying that to “simultaneously invoke an exclusive franchise agreement with one company would, in effect … permit Lowndes County to construct a monopoly while simultaneously putting pre-existing companies out of business.”

Well, it appears the judge thought it was about right or wrong.

The county Chairman’s view now? Continue reading →

DSS on WCTV

The WCTV reporter interviewed Lowndes County Commissioner Demarcus Marshall at yesterday’s Chamber of Commerce Legislative Lunch because Chairman Bill Slaughter was not there.

Winnie Anne Wright wrote yesterday for WCTV, Deep South Sanitation Will Continue Work In Lowndes County, quoted Cary Scarborough about winning the lawsuit the Lowndes County Commission brought against his company, and then:

He has invested quite a bit of money in his only truck that you can see here. Despite all of the litigation, he is proud to be born and raised in Lowndes County.

One of the Commision’s newest representatives, Demarcus Marshall, says he hopes the County and private businesses will be able to negotiate out of court, if an issue like this comes about again.

“I commend him for his efforts. Commend his family. And I just really apologize to them that they had to undergo this. And I hope that in the future, don’t be afraid to do any business here in Lowndes County”, says Marshall.

Residents of Lowndes County will now be able to choose between Deep South Sanitation and Advanced Disposal, as well as any other sanitation service for their trash collection.

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Next Deep South Sanitation court date: 25 Nov 2013

According to Deep South Sanitation, their next court date is Monday 25 November 2013 at 9:30 AM, presumably at the Lowndes County Judicial Complex, 327 N. Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 31601. The longer you drag this out, Lowndes County, the more good press DSS gets out of it. DSS reports 25 new customers for the fourth quarter, providing $125 to Lake Park Elementary School.

Oh yes, the alleged county attorney spending our tax dollars to sue Deep South Sanitation was the attorney for many of the cities that sued about LOST and just lost before the Georgia Supreme Court, resulting in many cities and counties scurrying around to make rapid agreements, including Lowndes County and Valdosta.

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Cash for Trash –Deep South Sanitation

The longer you drag on that lawsuit, Lowndes County Commission, about your bogus exclusive franchise that benefits nobody but ADS investors in New York City, the more good PR local company DSS gets. We could use better than trash government around here.

Advertisement by Deep South Sanitation in the VDT yesterday: Continue reading →

ADS buys three more waste companies, one in Valdosta

That’s five ADS purchases since Veolia. So much for Steve Edwards not being able to foresee any further acquisitions back in April. Somebody remind me, why was it a good idea for the Lowndes County Commission granting an exclusive franchise to a monopoly that’s only getting bigger, and already had little reason to keep prices down? County Commissioners certainly have not been able to explain it.

Allan Gerlat wrote for Waste Age 2 July 2013, Advanced Disposal Buys Three Waste Haulers,

Advanced Disposal Services Inc. continued its recent buying spree with the acquisition of waste haulers in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Illinois.

The Ponte Vedra, Fla.-based Advanced Disposal said in news releases it purchased Winsor Disposal in Kane Pa.; Valdosta Waste Services in Valdosta, Ga.; and Benson Disposal Services Inc. in Macon, Ill.

Here’s a list of just the ADS purchases I know of, not counting the rumor: Continue reading →

Tipping fees vs. host fees from Veolia

What is this contract involving tipping fees that Lowndes County declined to produce a copy of? How can it be “adequately maintained in the future”, as former Commissioner Lee put it, if the county doesn’t know what it is?

The minutes for the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners Work Session 11 October 2010 say:

Resolution-Proposed Amendment-March 2007 Greater Lowndes Solid Waste Management Plan, County Planner, Jason Davenport, presented the resolution, adding that the amendment was drafted due to a proposed expansion and reconfiguration of the Evergreen landfill. Mr. Davenport added that the amendment had been reviewed by staff, the Regional Commission and the Deep South Solid Waste Authority. Mr. Davenport further stated that Mr. A.J. Rodgers, of Veolia Environmental Services, was present to answer any questions the Commission might have regarding the project. Commissioner Lee stated that he was concerned that the contractual relationship that has been in place for quite some time be accurately reflected and adequately maintained in the future. Commissioner Lee then asked Mr. Rodgers if a new cell had been created yet. Mr. Rodgers answered that construction had begun in a cell that had already been approved.

Veolia spelled his name [Andrew] AJ Rogers and identified him as “area manager for Veolia ES Solid Waste Southeast, Inc.” in a 22 March 2011 press release.

But what is this “contractual relationship”? According to a letter from Walter G. Elliott, Lowndes County Attorney, Continue reading →

Adjourn into trash excuses @ LCC 2013-06-11

Citizens still wanted to talk about solid waste after the Commission adjourned the Tuesday 11 June 2013 Lowndes County Commission Regular Session. Commissioners offered nothing but excuses.

Page asks for Wright to stay behind Commissioner Page asked for Mr. Wright to stay behind so he could talk to him. The Chairman adjourned; I didn’t hear or see any motion or second or vote. Aren’t those required by state law? Motion to adjourn? --Chairman Slaughter

The subsequent excuses included:

It’s not about right or wrong anymore.

Nevermind that most of the people in the room thought it was, as well as many of the citizens and voters in the county.

We have to follow the process.

Nevermind they didn’t hold Continue reading →