Senators ask LV to delay Republic pact extension
bidding process.
Farley, I-Las Vegas, and Denis, D-Las Vegas, this month introduced Senate Bill 315 “to begin a comprehensive policy discussion around this critical and, at times, controversial industry,” the letter said.
It’s been more than 25 years since the state has “substantively” looked at recycling and waste management issues, the letter states.
“Because of this, in recent years, these issues have turned into controversial and highly volatile issues all over the state, oftentimes to the detriment of our constituents, the environment and Nevada-owned businesses.”
The City Council is expected to take up both a framework ordinance setting guidelines for a single-stream recycling program in the city and a proposed long-term contract extension with Republic at its April 5 meeting. The agenda had not been posted as of Tuesday afternoon.
Goodman said she’d like to see the council take a vote.
She called a 12-year extension of the franchise agreement “a little much” and said she would like to see that reduced but is “very supportive of Republic.” Residents who already have single-stream or no-sort recycling “love it.” But if there are waste disposal contracts the city can bid out that are “part of the whole picture,” Goodman supports that.
The legislators’ letter calls Nevada “one of the most monopolized states in the country” when it comes to waste and recycling. Nevada is also unique because its two primary franchisees, Republic Services in Southern Nevada and Waste Management in Northern Nevada, own the major landfills.
“And, while franchise agreements play a role in our community fabric, without a statewide policy, they can have devastating impacts to existing business, stifle technology growth and progress and leave residents without recourse for dissatisfaction,” the letter states.
The letter invites city leaders to get involved in the state-level policy discussion “so we can begin to set a statewide waste and recycling policy direction for the state.”
Farley and Denis have met with locally owned businesses across Nevada in recent months. The businesses said they have “experienced significant adversity because of the current waste and recycling franchise agreements, the lack of oversight and the lack of competition in the market,” the senators’ letter says.
Mike Draper of Argentum Partners planned to deliver the letter to council members Tuesday. Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Find @JamieMunksRJ on Twitter.