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Commissioners begin formal review of long-running Hardee Disposal arrangement; staff ordered to draft code changes
Summary
After lengthy debate, the board instructed legal staff to prepare code amendments and to place a public discussion on the June 18 agenda to address franchise language, recycling, fee structure and whether to pursue a competitive solicitation for county solid-waste services that have operated for decades under an informal/aging framework.
Commissioner comments and public input prompted an extended examination of the county's long-running arrangements with Hardee Disposal. County Attorney Sarah Johnson said the county's existing ordinances and contracts lack many statutory provisions required by current Florida law (recycling requirements, indemnification language, formal franchise procedures and solicitation standards), making a straight contract renewal legally risky without code updates and a properly executed new agreement.
Commissioners and staff discussed options: a code amendment and competitive solicitation (RFP), a formal franchise ordinance (which requires two readings and specific notice), or a narrowly tailored new agreement that incorporates required statutory protections and periodic rebidding. Staff recommended bringing code amendments forward and scheduling a public board discussion so both the company and other potential providers could be heard; the board set a follow-up discussion for June 18 to give parties time to prepare and to allow legal review of specific provisions. Multiple commissioners emphasized the longstanding service by Hardee Disposal while also stressing transparency and public-interest protections.
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