STOCKTON, CA - The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors directed staff to immediately begin seeking competitive bids for the operation of the Foothill Sanitary Landfill and bring back a discussion item on trash collection services in rural and unincorporated areas of San Joaquin County to ensure transparency and accountability in County government. The landfill is currently operated by Foothill Sanitary Landfill, Inc. which received Board approval for continued operation until the competitive bid process is complete to ensure continuity of service for County residents.
“The Board of Supervisors' action today made clear that we expect accountability and transparency in County operations,” commented Board Chairman Miguel Villapudua. “It's once again time for the County to have a competitive process for landfill operations, and the Board's direction to staff means that we will have an open bid to see who can provide the best services to the County at the lowest cost to our residents.”
In response to Board questions, staff from the County Department of Public Works indicated that the County's cost for landfill operations is the second lowest in Northern California. They also stressed the importance of continuing operations with the County's current provider while the competitive bid process is completed to ensure there is no service disruption for County residents. They committed to bringing back not only a competitive bid on landfill operations in the next year but also to update the Supervisors on the residential pick-up service at a future board meeting.
“The Board recognizes that many residents are being impacted by higher utility bills and grocery prices. We want to ensure that they are getting a good service for a good price,” commented Vice Chair Paul Canepa, whose Second Supervisorial District includes many unincorporated County “pockets” within the City of Stockton. “Citizens deserve to understand the pricing and services offered by our County service providers, and the Board is committed to keeping those prices as low as possible.”
The contract extension amends the 2006 contract with Foothill Sanitary Landfill, Inc. The Department of Public Works negotiated an early termination clause for today's contract extension that would allow the County the ability to terminate the contract within six months if a lower and more competitive bid is accepted. The six-month termination period would allow a smooth transition of services between service providers.
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The Board of Supervisors is the governing body of San Joaquin County and serves more than 779,000 residents. The Board establishes County policies, passes local ordinances, approves the budget, sets local tax rates, supports community programs, and provides many other essential services.
