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Glendale council approves transfer of Zone C waste franchise to Waste Management; residents question monopoly and rates
Summary
The Glendale City Council voted to authorize assignment of the Zone C business and multifamily solid‑waste collection contract (R107072) from Waste Resource Technologies Inc. to Waste Management of California Inc., drawing public concern about monopoly power, past rate increases and whether a new RFP should have been issued.
The Glendale City Council on Sept. 30 approved a resolution assigning the city’s Zone C business and multifamily solid‑waste collection agreement (Contract R107072) from Waste Resource Technologies Inc. to Waste Management of California Inc.
Supporters on council framed the transfer as a continuity-of-service step; multiple public speakers urged the council to re-open the contract to competitive bidding and to clarify recent rate increases for residents in multi‑family properties.
Council approved the assignment by roll call with five yes votes. City staff said Waste Management will operate only in Zone C and must meet the same franchise standards as the outgoing contractor.
Why it matters: City franchise assignments affect service, local rates and competition. Speakers at the meeting warned concentration of hauling services can raise prices and reduce responsiveness; council members said they expect the new operator to meet Glendale’s customer service standards and that the franchise agreement includes enforcement measures.
What council decided and why: City staff explained Waste Management is a qualified national hauler with landfill access that could ease some future disposal constraints when local landfills close. Councilmember comments thanked Waste Resource Technologies for past service and said Waste Management had represented it could provide strong customer service at scale.
Public concern and questions: Herbert Milano and Edgemond Hakobian, two residents who spoke during public comment, urged the council to reopen Zone C to a new RFP rather than allowing an assignment. Milano said he has “personally seen increases in my waste disposal of nearly 500%” under recent changes and called Measure A — a voter‑approved charter amendment referenced in public testimony — a removal of safeguards that previously required more competitive procurement. Hakobian asked the city manager to provide a report on annual percentage fee increases by each vendor and asked whether Measure A would have affected the city’s ability to require a new RFP for an assignment.
Staff response and follow up: Public Works staff said Waste Management currently has no other Glendale zones and that contract language gives the city manager discretion to approve a qualified assignee. Staff and council also took questions about bulky‑item pickup differences between single‑family and multi‑family customers; staff committed to bring back options for improving bulky‑item responsiveness across contracts.
What residents asked for: Public commenters and some council members asked for (a) a staff report on fee increases by vendor in each zone, (b) clearer consumer contact procedures and (c) stronger assurances that Waste Management will maintain local customer service responsiveness rather than rely solely on automated systems.
Next steps: The assignment takes effect after the administrative process in the franchise agreement; staff said they will monitor service and enforce contract terms. Council asked staff to return on operational issues such as bulky‑item pickup and to provide the requested fee and service‑level clarifications.
Ending: The assignment passed, but the public record at the meeting makes clear residents and at least two council members expect additional staff reporting and monitoring of service and rates going forward.
