City puts Waste Management on 90-day notice

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
June 16, 2004
Competition for the city's garbage collection contract is heating up.
Meridian City Councilmen on Tuesday put Waste Management Inc. on a 90-day notice of termination of its solid waste contract.
The vote to put Waste Management on notice passed on a 3-2 vote. Ward 4 Councilman Jesse E. Palmer Sr. and Ward 5 Councilman Bobby Smith voted against it.
The notice gives city officials time to advertise for new garbage collection bids in hopes of negotiating a better contract or attracting new companies to bid.
Tuesday's action came two weeks after city officials hired a $50,000 consultant to guide them through a new bid process for garbage collection service.
Some city officials have long complained about the contract with Waste Management and the company's performance.
New Officers
On Tuesday, Ward 5 Councilman Bobby Smith was unanimously chosen as the new council president. Ward 4 Councilman Jesse E. Palmer Sr. was selected as vice president. The selection of council leadership is done on a yearly rotation.