I’ve heard people complain that the end of August is a slow news month. But what I can I say, the controversy surrounding the White Street landfill is the gift that keeps on giving.
I read with interest the letter via Ed Cone) from opponents’ attorney Chris Brook to Greensboro city attorney Tom Pollard regarding City Council member Nancy Vaughan’s eligibility to vote on Gate City’s contract to run the landfill. Brook makes the standard argument —- that Waste Industries —-a bidder on the contract who is represented by Vaughan’s husband — is no longer in competition with Gate City for the contract. Brook argues the RFP process “is fluid” and “has moved forward such that Councilwoman Vaughan no longer has a conflict.”
But Brook also makes another interesting argument —– that Gate City is claiming Waste Industries has a financial interest in keeping the city’s transfer station open. If the city closes its transfer station —- and Brook says there is no evidence that would happen even if White Street were reopened —– then Waste Industries ostensibly would have to pay higher rates at Republic Services’ transfer station. Thus Waste Industries’ financial interest in Gate City not getting the contract.
As for council member Trudy Wade’s statement about a city-operated landfill that is supposedly offensive to city workers —–Guarino and Tony Wilkins weigh in, but the bottom line is if the city did such a good job running the landfill, then why did they close it?
