A judge has refused to rescind a agreement in between Thousand Oaks and its new trash hauler, Athens Products and services.
Citing the lessen charges it provided, the Thousand Oaks Town Council in March authorised a rewarding 15-yr franchise arrangement with Athens Companies fairly than keeping with Squander Management and E.J. Harrison & Sons, the city’s trash haulers given that 1998.
Athens is scheduled to take over from Squander Administration and Harrison on Saturday, New Year’s Day, with business trash pickups. The company will start residential pickups two days afterwards, on Monday.
Thousand Oaks officials have approximated that the settlement is well worth hundreds of thousands and thousands of bucks, according to Waste Administration, which is headquartered in Houston and operates a landfill exterior Simi Valley.
Trash wars: With millions on line, most recent match aims to block T.O.’s trash hauling deal
Squander Administration sued Athens, based mostly in the Town of Market, in July, trying to get to rescind the deal.
But in a Dec. 14 ruling, Ventura County Remarkable Court docket Judge Ronda McKaig refused to do so.
She agreed with Athens’ argument that Squander Administration can’t seek the rescinding of the deal until the town is named in the lawsuit.
Squander Management spokesman Eric Rose stated Wednesday that the firm is “discovering all choices but is self-assured that the info display that Athens really should have never ever obtained the agreement in the initial place.”
In her ruling, the judge handed Waste Management some victories.
Athens sought dismissal of the lawsuit, but the judge only partially dismissed it.
She permit stand the suit’s allegations that Athens unlawfully presented the metropolis costs that are below Athens’ charges of performing business in violation of the California Unfair Tactics Act and California Unfair Competitors Law.
But the judge threw out allegations that Athens interfered with Squander Management’s contracts with its motorists by making contact with them to inquire about operating for Athens. She also dismissed allegations that by offering the town rates lower than Squander Management’s, Athens unfairly took enterprise absent from Squander Management.
Misleading: T.O. officials say Waste Management mass mailers are inaccurate
Waste Administration previously this year filed two lawsuits against Thousand Oaks stemming from Athens getting awarded the deal, alleging violations of the state’s open meeting legislation, the Brown Act, and the California Environmental High quality Act, or CEQA. The city reported the suits are baseless.
The Brown Act lawsuit has been tossed out and a judge rejected Waste Management’s movement for a preliminary injunction in the CEQA action, Athens spokeswoman Rondi Guthrie said. Even so, the CEQA fit is still being litigated.
Guthrie said Waste Management’s lawsuits seeking to overturn the Metropolis Council’s unanimous determination to award Athens the contract are “frivolous.”
“To date, all of these worries have either been thrown out or faced various setbacks in court docket,” Guthrie reported. “Athens remains on program to commence serving Thousand Oaks.”
Thousand Oaks City Legal professional Tracy Noonan declined to comment on McKaig’s ruling, which permits Waste Management’s lawsuit to shift ahead.
Athens buyers can go to the company’s Sustainability Middle, 2251 Thousand Oaks Blvd., to get account assist and study about recycling and additional. Shoppers can call the center at 805-852-5264 or visit athensthousandoaks.com for much more details.
Mike Harris addresses the East County towns of Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, as perfectly as transportation countywide. You can call him at [email protected] or 805-437-0323.
Support Regional JOURNALISM and get all the latest Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and transportation news from Star reporter Mike Harris. Get a electronic subscription
