The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a package of public‑works decisions intended to reshape the county’s solid‑waste and transportation operations and to formalize leadership succession at Public Works.

Public Works Director Fritz Buckman and Deputy Director David Tolliver recommended a three‑stage plan to end operations at Foothill Sanitary Landfill. Under the plan, public self‑haul to Foothill would end Jan. 10, 2026; licensed waste collectors’ operations would be reduced to five days per week and redirected once the current infill module reaches capacity in mid‑2026; and long‑term closure activities would begin around mid‑2027 after required regulatory steps. Tolliver said the county obtained state approval to raise daily tonnage and vehicle limits at North County Landfill, and that consolidation with North County and the Lovelace Transfer Station would preserve access within 20 miles for affected communities. Staff projected annual savings of about $5.3 million and “approximately $80,000,000 in savings over the next 15 years” from the operational changes.

The board voted to authorize the closure as presented. Supervisors thanked staff for renegotiated contracts and cited expected household cost relief and long‑term capacity planning as benefits.

On a related infrastructure item, the board held a public hearing and adopted a resolution of necessity for the Buckman Road Bridge (Bridge No. 29C‑227) replacement project. Public Works said design is expected to complete in 2026 with construction starting in early 2027. To build the new concrete bridge, the county identified permanent and temporary easements totaling about 0.82 acres; the appraised just compensation for required easements was $20,500. Public comment included the California Farmland Trust, which holds a conservation easement on the affected property and asked for updates during negotiations. Staff said negotiations began in May 2023 and were unsuccessful to date; the resolution authorizes county counsel to seek court‑ordered possession if necessary while preserving the right to negotiate a settlement.

The board also conducted a public hearing required by state law to designate a county road commissioner and to appoint a new director of Public Works. Human Resources Director Jennifer Goodman introduced Najee Zareef, deputy director of public works engineering and a registered civil engineer since 2004. The board approved Zareef’s appointment to the director role effective March 23, 2026, at step 4 of the salary range with an approximate annual salary of $267,794, and designated him as county road commissioner.

Separately, the board adopted amendments to the county ordinance implementing procurement standards for recovered organic waste products to comply with California Senate Bill 1383; staff said costs will be covered by management fees from licensed solid‑waste collectors and the ordinance carries no net county cost.

Votes and approvals on the package were taken during the meeting; staff committed to public outreach to notify residents of service changes and standard timelines for notices before each operational step.