City Looking For Long Term Solution After Contractor Bankruptcy
By Robert Thomas
The apparent bankruptcy of the security company that was providing scale services and collecting tipping fees at the Moose Jaw landfill had the City scrambling for a couple of days.
According to a source the seemingly overnight bankruptcy and subsequent sudden loss of services had the potential of closing the landfill unless a solution was found.
In answers to an emailed list of questions the City responded the contractor did in fact discontinue contracted services and a temporary solution is now being used.
The services lost as part of the contractor’s apparent bankruptcy are the ones at the scale house and not those operating the equipment at the landfill.
Trash is compacted at the Moose Jaw Landfill in this file photo. These workers were not affected but rather the ones at the scale house - MJ Independent file photo
The questions are as listed:
1. Is it true that the security contractor is no longer supplying services at the Moose Jaw landfill?
City’s Response - Yes.
2. If so, could you please tell me what is a City doing to rectify the situation at the landfill?
City’s Response - As of today we have Interim coverage through another company.
3. Is the loss of the security contractor the landfill going to have an effect upon the operations of the landfill at the present time in the short term and if so, what will those effects be?
City’s Response - No effects, we have interim coverage.
4. Does the city hold a performance bond when it comes to the contractor at the landfill?
No.
5. If so, can you please tell me will the city be taking that bond now? N/A
6. Additionally, if the security contractor has, in fact, gone bankrupt or withdrawn their services at the Moose Jaw landfill can you tell me what are the City’s long-term plans in relation to this?
We are working on securing those services from a different company. As mentioned, we have interim coverage until a long-term solution is confirmed.
7. Do you have anything to add?
No
It needs to be noted that although the security services at the Moose Jaw landfill have been privatized for decades, when the city made the move to privatize CUPE, who represents the majority of City workers, pointed out the potential for problems.