Flint mayor to testify as council restarts investigative hearing on garbage contract
FLINT, MI -- The City Council has restarted an investigative hearing into the awarding of a multi-million dollar waste collection contract in 2021 and plans to hear from Mayor Sheldon Neeley later this week. In the second round of bidding, Priority Waste, Green For Life Environmental and Waste Management bid on the waste collection contract in Flint. During Monday’s hearing, Widigan told council members he started working for the city on Aug. 16, 35 days after the second round bids were opened. “The purchasing (department) was overseeing this process, your (Department of Public Works) director was overseeing this process,” the CFO said. Read more:Flint’s garbage contract subject of council investigative hearingDespite bid protest, Flint sticks with Priority Waste for garbage pickups starting Oct. 1Former Flint purchasing manager says she followed rules on garbage contract bids
mlive.comDespite bid protest, Flint sticks with Priority Waste for garbage pickups starting Oct. 1
FLINT, MI -- The city won’t hold up its pending contract for Priority Waste to begin garbage collection in the city starting Oct. 1 despite the objections of a company that wasn’t chosen for the job. That decision then could have been appealed to Mayor Sheldon Neeley and then to the City Council -- a process that would have taken weeks to unfold, City Attorney Angela Wheeler said. Council members Maurice Davis (Ward 2), Jerri Winfrey-Carter (Ward 5), and Monica Galloway (Ward 7) were not present for the vote. Officials in the Neeley administration have said city purchasing employees botched the initial bid opening by mistakenly not carrying out the procedure in public, requiring a new round of bidding. Read more:GFL files protest over ‘tragically wasteful’ Flint garbage contract awardFlint gets new garbage contractor but council will continue investigative hearing ThursdayFlint council closer to digging into botched garbage contract bids
mlive.comMan seriously injured in Huron County boating accident
HURON COUNTY, MI -- A Westland man was seriously injured over the weekend in a boating accident in Fairhaven Township, police said. The Huron County Sheriff’s Office and Fairhaven Police Department responded around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, to a report of an injured boater being brought to shore at the Geiger Road Public Access in Fairhaven Township, near Sebewaing. The passenger of the broadside boat, a 27-year-old Westland man, was hit in the chest by the boat’s bow, police said. The man was seriously injured from the impact and transported back to the access site. The operator of the victim’s boat, a 25-year-old Livonia man and two occupants of the other boat, both from Newport Michigan, were not injured, police said.
mlive.comWaste hauler GFL says its bid would save Flint $8.1 million
The city has recommended that Clinton Township-based Priority Waste be chosen as Flint’s next waste hauler, calling its $19.7-million proposal the lowest responsive bid received. But Lou Berardicurti, area vice president for GFL, told council members in a letter Thursday, Aug. 5, that the information from Brown was “erroneous” and said its proposal would save city taxpayers $8.1 million over the next three years. The council voted last month to extend its existing contract with Republic Services through Sept. 30 at a cost of $1.4 million. Read more:Priority Waste recommended as Flint’s next garbage haulerBids for Flint’s garbage collection are in. Here’s what happens nextFlint City Council approves 90-day contract extension with Republic Services
mlive.comGarbage truck takes out utility pole at 14 Mile, Mound roads in Sterling Heights
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – A GFL Environmental garbage truck crashed into a utility pole Wednesday morning at the intersection of Mound Road and 14 Mile Road in Sterling Heights. The intersection was closed while a DTE Energy crews worked to clean up the debris and repair the pole. It has since reopened. No serious injuries have been reported.
Waterford Residents can sign up for GFL garbage service at Township Hall Saturday
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – GFL Environmental USA Inc. will be at the Waterford Township Hall Saturday so residents abandoned by their former garbage hauler can sign up for new services. “Thousands of residents are just now discovering they no longer have waste hauling services,” said Joseph Munem, Director of Government Affairs & Public Relations for GFL-USA. “Since our phone lines have been saturated with calls from those desperately seeking service, we decided to bring our service team to the Township this Saturday.”READ: Garbage hauler dumps thousands of Waterford Township customers with little noticeGFL was given a contract by the Waterford Township Board to provide single-hauler waste services to residents, according to the company. Advance Disposal sent a letter to customers in Waterford Township letting them know that it was ending service, which left nearly 14,000 people scrambling for a new garbage company. Or, residents can sign up online at gflusa.com.