The Last Letter?
In a new strongly worded letter from May 26—The City of Palm Coast government suggests that Waste Pro is in breach of contract. Waste Pro, the provider of garbage services in Palm Coast since 2007, is accused of repeated and “severe” service failure. In the last six months, customer complaints have been levied in the 1,000s with the total numbering at least over 4,000.
The letter, written to Tom Dolan and Brian Wintjen, both Waste Pro‘s regional vice presidents, details the repeated notifications The City has sent to Waste Pro. Within the letter, The City of Palm Coast is requiring a “written work plan and immediate action to be taken by Waste Pro consistent with contractual obligations. City Manager Matt Morton also writes, “the deficiencies still exist and are more becoming more severe and more frequent.”
In a previous letter from April 1, Wintjen wrote:
I apologize to you and the City of Palm Coast for the service delays in the past weeks. As I said, we have run into an issue regarding hiring helpers as well as obtaining temporary helpers from various agencies we currently use. We have been typically short 4- 6 helpers daily causing the delays. I believe this is a problem that will be corrected within a couple of weeks. However, the plan is to catch up this Saturday and stay caught up beginning next week.
Waste Pro has had trouble with other local areas in recent years, having lost its contract with Beverly Beach in 2019. In contrast, a recent survey amongst Palm Coast residents, 67% percent like their garbage pick-up service. A slight win at the time to the struggling hauler.
Morton leaves off the letter with suggestions of aiding the struggling hauler with additions of the local workforce to finish out the contract, “The City is strongly considering additional waste hauling, recycling, and debris contracts with their own work force.” The suggestion of such would most likely come from a performance bond, in which Waste Pro would be deducted of any costs The City incurs to satisfy service requirements. Waste Pro was given 7-days to comply with all service level requirements.
The current contract ends in 2022, marking the end of the 5-year agreement.
TrashinDriveway
May 27, 2021 at 12:20 am
This has gone on forever now. Make a decision Palm Coast!
Bruno
May 27, 2021 at 11:32 am
I believe Waste Pro pays a flat rate of around $120 a day. And after trying to go to their website to verify this, I see “compensation” isn’t listed, which reinforces my belief in their “flat (low) rate” pay.
Marlene
May 27, 2021 at 8:15 am
My trash is occasionally left and not picked up and my trash containers thrown all over my yard.
Robert
May 27, 2021 at 10:09 am
City Manager Matt Morton also writes, “the deficiencies still exist and are more becoming more severe and more frequent.”
Is he speaking about himself? Or wastepro.
The city isnt short staffed and has many deficiencies within its own ranks.
Maybe they need to put up more mirrors and less demands on the citizens to complain about delays due to other factors out of WastePros control.
All of this smells of malfeasance.
MK Salvatore
May 27, 2021 at 11:47 am
If this is due to employees not returning after COVID retsrictions were lifted that is one thing. If disgruntled employees that is another. Give us the honest truth as to why there have been disrubtions in service. People will feel better about this if they are given the honest truth. Thanks.
Mike
June 16, 2021 at 10:58 pm
So untrue. The issues with Waste Pro started before Covid. They were fined thousands of dollars in 2019 alone!