Council set to decide on landfill operator

Adrienne Packer

Tuesday, May 12, 1998 | 9:53 a.m.

BOULDER CITY -- After months of hearings, workshops and meetings, the City Council is expected tonight to decide who will operate its landfill.

A Landfill Review Committee that reviewed dozens of proposals recommends the city choose Nevada Waste Systems Inc. Joint Venture James A. Wyse Inc. over the current operator, Boulder City Disposal Inc.

The firm's proposed monthly residential rate of $8.50 was the lowest among the six finalists. Nevada Waste Systems also will give Boulder City 5 percent of its gross monthly income, which is estimated to be about $50,000.

The solid waste company offered to give the city 50 percent of its earnings from a contract with the National Park Service, if it receives the contract to pick up garbage from the Lake Mead area.

"The offer made to the city in the way of percentage of income was greater from the Nevada Waste people than from Boulder Disposal," Boulder City Mayor Robert Ferraro said Monday.

In April, the city was strapped with the decision of whether to keep its aging landfill or build a transfer station and haul garbage to the Apex landfill, which is owned by Republic Silver State Disposal Inc.

Ferraro said Boulder City residents do not want their garbage hauled out of town. They also were concerned that Silver State would hold a monopoly on the area's solid waste industry if it were awarded the contract.

Silver State dropped from the bidding process when the city determined a transfer station wouldn't be popular with its citizens.

Residents also strongly opposed a new landfill in the Eldorado Valley, prompting the City Council to dump that idea.

"Keeping the landfill was primarily due to the public's sentiments," Ferraro said. "They did not want to see a landfill in the immediate area, especially one in the Eldorado Valley."

Tonight's City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall on Arizona Street.