2019-11-12-minutes-solid-waste-and-maintenance

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August 19, 2019 IV-X'ittitas County Solid Waste Programs 925 Industrial Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926 Telephone: (509) 962-7542 Fax: (509) 962-7087 Tami Yager Waste Management of Ellensburg 607 Railroad Ellensburg, WA 98926 RE: Contract Extension As you are almost certainly aware, the contract between us for the hauling and handling of Solid Waste materials, including operation of our transfer stations, is approaching the time at which we must start the renewal process. As the County started its process for the renewal in order to comply with the timelines in our existing contract, I perceived a problem that was not anticipated in our prior negotiations. The County is in the process of moving the Lower County Transfer Station, currently located in Ellensburg, to a new location. The nature of the resulting change in operations, including new technology and demands on both parties, make it highly likely that we would need to make some significant changes to our contract to reflect this new reality. I am aware that the County has exercised its right to extend the original contract to the maximum period contemplated at the time. As far as the County is concerned, specifying that right to extend did not preclude an amendment to the existing contract if that is mutually agreed upon between us. The new Transfer Station is anticipated to be operational during the 2023 calendar year. I am concerned that the crossing time lines of a new contract and the eventual need to amend it, possibly substantially, with the new Transfer Station may be a significant and unpleasant burden on both of us. The County would like to discuss the possibility of a mutually beneficial extension of the existing agreement to a time consistent with the likely opening of the new Transfer Station so that our net burden is reduced. We would likely have to make a more intense effort to complete the negotiation process at that time, but we would also have a far clearer picture of what would need to be done to ensure a contract that is workable for both parties.