Atlantic Beach extends trash-collection contract with GFL Environmental amid commercial-customer complaints

The Town of Atlantic Beach Council voted Feb. 16 to extend its trash-collection contract with GFL Environmental for five years, moving the contract expiration date to June 30, 2031.

Town Manager John O'Daniel told council the proposed amendment continues prior contract terms, including annual CPI adjustments, and that the town's negotiated rates are comparable with neighboring municipalities. During public comment Don Holloway raised concerns about rising surcharges and user fees GFL has imposed on commercial customers and said those increases had been dramatic for his business; he also said GFL has purchased other local waste-haulers and is now the sole provider in the area.

O'Daniel acknowledged that GFL has changed fees for commercial customers in recent years but said the five-year extension does not alter the town's fee schedule and that the town would continue to pay applicable charges such as fuel surcharges as before. "There would be no changes to the fee schedule for this extension," O'Daniel said.

Councilmember Austin Waters moved to approve the five-year extension; Councilmember Joseph Starling seconded and the motion passed unanimously, 5-0.

The extension preserves the town's current contractual relationship with GFL; council did not direct staff to renegotiate specific commercial fee structures at this meeting. Members of the public raised concerns about market consolidation and commercial surcharges; those concerns were recorded in the minutes but did not change the council's vote.