Thanks to Commissioner Krista Keating Joseph, the only one of five Commissioners to vote against this contract at the December 19, 2024 SJC BoCC meeting. I spoke in opposition to this contract, asking questions that were never answered, and not included in the minutes of the meeting. Commission should not have granted this Christmas present to FCC Environmental, a new company with little experience. Without a background investigation, that decision stinks on ice. The 2000 complaints (to date) stand as a synecdoche (part that stands for a whole) of our other-directed St. Johns County Commissioners, who lack legislative assistances. Disgraced former St. Johns County Administrator MICHAEL DAVID WANCHICK, who encumbered the position from 2007-2019, helped eliminated legislative assistants for Commissioners circa 2010 -- one of a number of sinister, cynical, self-serving County actions that empower feckless, reckless, unethical corporations, including devious developers and shady government contractors. We need to reform government contracting as we know it, from our cities and county to Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. Enough corporate welfare. This contract proves that one party rule is wrong. Is Florida just a sunny place for shady corporations? You tell me. From Jacksonville Today:
St. Johns may ditch new trash hauler after ‘disastrous’ start
Just five days after FCC Environmental Services officially became its new trash hauler, St. Johns County may drop them. The move comes after what one County Commissioner called an “unmitigated disaster” of a first week for the company.
“This was, without question, a catastrophic failure in rollout,” County Commissioner Sarah Arnold said during a commission discussion Tuesday. “Not to mention, it was a catastrophic failure when we were staring down the eye of an impending hurricane.”
Last December, the County Commission approved a seven-year, $28 million contract with the solid waste company beginning Aug. 1. FCC also will take over Clay County services on Oct. 1.
In its first week on the job in St. Johns, residents reported that trash cans were left in the middle of streets, trash was left on the ground and incorrect pickups were made.
The county estimates more than 2,000 residents’ trash wasn’t picked up on time Aug. 1 and 2.
To fill in the gaps, the county mobilized staff from its Road and Bridge division to step in and pick up residents’ trash. According to the county, those staff members clocked in 900 hours of work, some working until 10 p.m. one night.
The county is seeking reimbursements for those employees’ wages, in addition to an immediate improvement in services. The County Commission unanimously agreed that, if staff finds that, in seven days, FCC Environmental Services has not cleaned up its act, St. Johns County can begin seeking a replacement.
“This has been, to me, an unmitigated disaster,” County Commissioner Henry Dean said. “We have to abide by the terms of the contract, but, personally, I’m prepared to move forward, as — legally — as soon as possible, to terminate this agreement.”
If St. Johns County terminates its contract with FCC Environmental Services, a new request for proposal will be issued and the county will seek bids from other companies.
So you're suggesting that the county take over garbage collection and make that a tax payer funded service? I'm open to that idea.. just wondering if that's what you think. That's about the only way I can think to eliminate so called corruption or all this drama. That way the public can hold someone accountable. They can't hold those companies accountable and elected leaders can just blame the company and hire a new one.
ReplyDeleteYes. I talked by phone August 7, 2024 to our 5th District Commissioner, Isaac Henry Dean about this -- both the City of St. Augustine and the City of St. Augustine Beach collect their own garbage.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they have an aversion to taxation and government doing anything... but the money is more likely to stay within the community for longer if they make it a local responsibility.
DeleteI agree. The New York Times reported circa 30 years ago that the two oligopolists controlling the garbage industry were mafia-controlled or influence, the result of mergers of local cartage companies in the Northeast, South Florida, Chicago, etc. Browning-Ferris Industries and Waste Management, Inc. We'd have more reliable service with local County employees, as well as better, fairer treatment of workers. It's our money. It's our County. We should expect better. Yes we can.
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