Corte Madera council directs staff to open negotiations with current hauler for new solid‑waste contract

The Corte Madera Town Council on March 4 directed staff to begin negotiations with Mill Valley Refuse Service for a new residential and commercial solid‑waste contract that expires at the end of 2026, and to reserve the option of a competitive procurement if talks are unsuccessful.

The action follows a consultant presentation from R3 Consultants reviewing the town’s 20‑year franchise agreement, current services and compliance needs under state law. Staff recommended negotiating deal points over a series of meetings and returning with a modernized agreement; council members expressed broad support for that approach while pressing staff on service and cost tradeoffs.

R3 Senior Principal Scott Hannan opened the presentation by noting the contract timeline and legal context: “we are here to talk about your solid waste contract, that is ending, in just under 2 years.” He reviewed major state laws that have changed collection requirements since the town’s 2006 agreement, including SB 1383 (organics and edible food recovery) and…