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 mandatory commercial recycling laws such as AB 341 and AB 939, and said those changes argue for updated, modern franchise terms.

Hannan told the council the current 2006 agreement with Mill Valley Refuse Service (MBRS) has had only one amendment — to address SB 1383 — and explained the town could either renegotiate with the incumbent or run a competitive RFP. He said competitive procurement typically takes about 18 months, and recommended starting a procurement by July 2025 to allow for a transition if needed; renegotiations would be a shorter path.

Council members who spoke supported starting renegotiations while keeping a competitive backup. Council member Eli Beckman said he was “totally comfortable with the staff proposal of proceeding with renegotiations with the understanding that we maintain the right, to issue an RFP should the negotiations not go, in the direction that we might hope.” Beckman also urged the town and contractor to pursue ways to make recycling simpler for residents.

Gene Dela Zopa, CEO of Mill Valley Refuse Service, addressed the council during public comment and described the company’s commitment to Corte Madera and to upcoming state changes such as SB 54 (plastic pollution prevention and packaging producer responsibility). “We welcome any questions or comments, and thank you guys so much for your time and consideration,” Dela Zopa said.

Consultants and staff highlighted service and performance data during the presentation: residential diversion is roughly 66 percent (above the 50 percent diversion benchmark cited for AB 939), the town uses dual‑stream residential recycling with a reported contamination rate of about 10.33 percent, and bulky‑item collection is currently offered up to four times per year per household under the existing agreement.

Staff recommended and council members agreed on a negotiation process scoped to roughly six negotiation meetings to establish deal points, modernize terms, and clarify reporting and SB 1383 compliance. Council members also stressed the need to set resident expectations about rates: negotiations may not lower customer bills, especially if new equipment or mandates increase contractor costs.

The council did not take a formal recorded vote on a contract resolution; instead staff received clear direction to open negotiations with Mill Valley Refuse Service and to reserve the right to release a competitive RFP if negotiations fail. Staff said it will return to the council with negotiated terms or, if necessary, a procurement timeline.

Looking ahead, staff and consultants noted potential next steps: (1) begin scheduled negotiations with MBRS and develop deal points; (2) continue outreach on service priorities such as rates, dual‑stream recycling, and community bulky‑item programs; (3) if negotiations fail, issue an RFP to test the market on schedule to meet the Jan. 1, 2027 service start date for a new contract.

Votes at a glance: The meeting recorded a consent‑calendar vote earlier in the evening; the solid‑waste item was handled as direction to staff and did not require a motion or formal vote at this meeting.