2 - Sunday. February 10. 1991 - North Shore News

Aldermen raise stink over garbage

NOREH VANCOUVER
Cite aldermen sparred
Mor day night over garbage,
disazreeing on how to pro-
cer d with awarding a new
Waste collection contract in
tho municipality.

By Pamela Lang
Contributing Writer

Ald. Rod Clark argued that the
Canadian Union of Public
Employees (CUPE) is being given
an inside track in the fight to sce
who will collect the city’s garbage
even though Laidlaw Waste
Systems Ltd., which currently col-
lects the city’s garbage, is doing a
good job.

“It’s poor business practice to
have only one bidder,*’ Clark
said, adding that it isn’t the idea

NORTH VANCOUVER
CITY COUNCIL

or having CUPE workers earn the
contract that bothers him, but the
process bene used to debate the
issue.

During recent in-camera ses-
sions, council asked stay co Took
into having city employees —
CUPE members — bevin collect-
ing city garbage rather than con-
tracting the job out to a private
business, Clark said.

But Ald. John Braithwaite said
complaints ubout current: service
have included the state of garbage
cans and spilled garbage.

CUPE, he said, has not
tendered a bid for the garbage
contract, but instead has helped
city staff calculate the labor costs
involved in an in-house garbage

volleclon sepies

Council fas made ne cemmitt
Ment as to who wall be awarded
the job, Braithwane added.

“This ts a fair and henest ap-
proach to vetting the best deal tor
the citizens of North Vancouver.”
said Afd. Bill) Bell ** Phere as
nothing wrong with the way we
are going about this."’

Mayor Jack Loucks and Ald.
Stella Jo Dean agreed. but Dean
said she had concerns about staff
reports being given to COUPE.

The garbage collection contract
will still go out to tender, she
said, adding that Laidlaw has
unionized employees, so it is not a
union versus non-union argument.

Clark said that all council
members are trying to get the best
deal for the taxpayers, but he
repeated that he disagreed with
the process being used to debate
the issue.

Heosaad thar CUP had the ap
portunity. whether it wis an ot:
fone) bid or not, to present ip cass

estimate prior to the tendenmme of

the gob.

Bur Ald. Barbara Sharp said
that there was nothing
Sunderhanded’’ about the pro-
OSS,

Council, she said. is looking at
the whole issue regarding private
contracts versus in-house collee-
tion.

Laidlaw has only been using
unionized employees since the
gurbage collection discussions
started, she added.

Dean and Clark opposed a mo-
tion to invite CUPE to present its
views on garbage collection to
council in-camera.

“Ef they want to say their
views, they can present them in
public tender,’ Dean said.

The CUPE local being discussed

NORTH VANCOUVER Ald, Rod
Clark wants more than one
bidder on contract.

is made up of city employees,
pointed out Sharp.

She said that it was not unusual
to speak to staff members in-
camera. Some community
organizations have been invited to
do the same, Sharp added.

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