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Safety Harbor Wants Recycling Deal with Clearwater

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: October 6, 2007

SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. - SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. - Safety Harbor officials want limitations imposed on how much Clearwater is able to raise fees to process this city's recyclable material, before it enters into a long-term contract.

That was the message Safety Harbor commissioners gave city staff at a Monday City Commission meeting.

Late this week negotiations were taking place between staff from both cities trying to hammer out an interlocal agreement that both sides won't trash.

In June, Safety Harbor commissioners decided to terminate the city's curbside recycling contract with Waste Management and initiate its own hauling program to reduce costs.

Safety Harbor's recently appointed public works director, Charles Brewer, said the city plans to start its curbside recycling program Oct. 15.

The question became one of where to cart all the newspapers, cardboard, plastic, glass, mixed paper and cans.

In addition to the curbside collections by Waste Management, Safety Harbor has operated various drop-off sites around the city. It has been taking the waste from its collection sites to the Clearwater Solid Waste Facility, which accepts recyclables as a commercial enterprise.

After taking the reins of the Public Works Department, Brewer soon discovered Safety Harbor officials had no inter-local agreement under which Clearwater accepts recyclable material from Safety Harbor. He prefers to have such a formal agreement, Brewer said.

Brewer told commissioners Safety Harbor will receive compensation for processing its recyclable material in Clearwater, a revenue source the city did not have when Waste Management was doing the collections.

Public Works staff estimates Safety Harbor will net about $68,400 from the recyclable material during the first year of city collections after processing fees are paid. That figure is contingent on the amount of recyclables the collections generate.

Not having to pay a private hauler to collect recyclable material at curbside will save the city about $165,000 each year, Brewer estimates.

Safety Harbor commissioners liked the cost savings, but balked at the fact that the proposed contract with Clearwater is for three years and gives Clearwater the ability to raise the processing fee it charges Safety harbor after 30 days' notice.

It doesn't make sense not to have some sort of built in ceiling on processing fees," Mayor Andy Steingold told fellow commissioners at Monday's meeting.

Thirty days into the contract, Clearwater could raise the fee rates and Safety Harbor would have to pay the bill for the next three years, the mayor noted.

Commissioner Keith Zayac said Safety Harbor has been burned in the past by Clearwater raising rates on items such as waste-water treatment without the city having any recourse.

Commissioners agreed there needs to be a cap or opt-out provision for Safety Harbor to get out of the contract,

Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt a recycling processing agreement with Clearwater, as long as any rate hike is tied to the Consumer Price Index and an opt-out clause is included.

On Thursday, however, Brewer said in an interview, Clearwater recycling officials are reluctant to cap the processing fee. As a result the two staffs are trying to work out a compromise for their respective city commissions to consider.

Although he would prefer to have an agreement, Safety Harbor could process its recyclables at the Clearwater facility on a pay-as-you-go basis, Brewer said.

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