Weber County approves 10-year lease with Waste Management to operate transfer station

The Weber County Board of Commissioners on June 9 approved a 10-year lease with Waste Management of Utah, Inc. for operation of the county transfer station, with the lease set to begin July 1 and including up to two successive five-year extensions.

County staff summarized key terms at the meeting: "As the payment for this lease, the county will receive $1 per tonne for all solid waste that is received at the transfer station," said Sean Wilkinson, who presented the agreement. Wilkinson said the company will also pay $0.50 per ton for equipment remaining at the facility and that the lease includes a commencement-condition report documenting the site's condition before operations transfer, plus provisions for Waste Management to maintain asphalt and county-owned facilities.

Commissioners said the lease is intended to keep the transfer station open for residents, provide marketplace competition and hold down disposal costs. Commissioner Jim Harvey told colleagues he had heard support from several municipal leaders: he said "I've received many calls from many mayors. 7 mayors... were in support of this." The chair also acknowledged and thanked the more than 20 listed transfer-station employees whose severance agreements were presented earlier on the consent agenda.

The board voted in favor of the lease during a standard aye/nay voice roll call and the chair announced the motion carried. The lease includes termination rights for both parties: Waste Management may terminate with 1-year advance notice; the county may terminate under specified contract reasons with 180 days' notice. Wilkinson said the intent in the contract language is for Waste Management to eventually purchase the transfer-station equipment, with the equipment-payment schedule captured in the agreement.