Landfill loser says decision is ‘fishy’

Adrienne Packer

Monday, May 18, 1998 | 9:48 a.m.

The management of a solid waste company that lost a contract bid to Boulder City Disposal Inc. intends to send a letter to the City Council expressing disappointment with last week's decision.

"This is all fishy to me," said Tom Valentino, vice president of Nevada Waste Systems Inc. Joint Venture James A. Wyse Inc. "This is what we do for a living -- collect and bury waste."

Valentino said the firm is still interested in operating Boulder City's landfill. First, however, contract negotiations with Boulder City Disposal and the council's second choice -- businessman Tony Korfman -- would have to fail.

"The politics entered in and we knew that was going to happen," Valentino said. "I don't know if we could have done anything to change that on the political end."

Nevada Waste Systems was the favorite going into Tuesday evening's City Council meeting.

The city-assembled Landfill Review Committee studied proposals submitted by six applicants and Nevada Waste Systems, which provides solid waste service to Pahrump residents, was ranked first. Boulder City ranked third and Korfman finished fifth.

Public Works Director Phillip Henry, who was a member of the review committee, said the group's task was to determine which proposal was technically complete and research each firm's financial history.

"That was our job," Henry said. "Then it would be the City Council's decision to use that as part of their decision process and select which company they thought was most appropriate for Boulder City."

Valentino said his firm would have offered lower rates and contributed more than $150,000 to the city each year. It offered to collect between $50,000 and $75,000 a year for the future closing of the landfill.

In addition, he said, part of Nevada Waste's proposal was to give Boulder City schools $5,000 a year.

Boulder City Disposal said it would contribute about $32,000 to the city in profit sharing and offered to collect 75 cents per ton of garbage brought to the landfill to go toward the facility's closure.

Mayor Robert Ferraro said the decision came down to who the citizens wanted. He said people stopped him on the streets to put in a word for Boulder City Disposal.

"I can just tell you from my own perspective, the reason I picked Boulder is they have been the provider for a number of years," said Ferraro, who earlier had indicated that Nevada Waste looked better on paper. "A survey that went out to residents came back very positive."

Ferraro said the only feedback he has received from Boulder City residents was from those who were disappointed council members didn't make Korfman their top choice.

Although Ferraro admitted he couldn't support Korfman because he has no experience with solid waste disposal, he was one of the four council members who voted to make the businessman their second choice ahead of Nevada Waste Systems.

If negotiations fall through with Boulder City Disposal, the city will look toward Korfman.

Korfman said during Tuesday's meeting he has no experience, but vowed to surround himself with experts. When asked why he wanted to get into the landfill business, Korfman said: "My wife wants me out of the house."

"He's funny, but how do they put him in front of us?" Valentino said. "You can surround yourself with people who know what they're doing, but you still have to know what you're doing."