Some Reno business owners, like Mark McKinnon, are getting letters telling them that they are in violation of city ordinances because they are not using the company Waste Management to haul their trash and recycling. Our contributor Bob Conrad of ThisisReno has been reporting on this situation and gave the latest update to our News Director Michelle Billman.
The actions mark an effort to solidify Waste Management’s exclusivity as the area’s waste hauler.
It’s a move supported by an outside legal review in 2016 of Waste Management’s franchise agreement with the City of Reno.
A Las Vegas law firm determined that smaller waste haulers cannot charge service fees for containers and for collecting excluded recyclable materials.
Kendra Kostelecky, spokesperson for Waste Management, praised the review’s findings.
“We are pleased with the results of the independent legal review commissioned by the Reno City Council,” she said. “The findings align with both the City’s and our understanding of the franchise agreement. We look forward to the franchise agreement being followed by all of the other haulers and enforced by the City of Reno.”
Enforcement of the agreement by the City of Reno with citations has been in limbo — until now.
Business owner Mark McKinnon said he was surprised when he received not one, but two letters — a notice of violation from the city and a cease and desist letter from Waste Management’s local law firm — demanding that he stop using the company Green Solutions for his business park’s recycling.
Read the rest of this story at ThisisReno.com.