Politics & Government

County Owes Damages to Trash Haulers, Court Says

The Missouri Supreme Court upheld a ruling that said the county broke state law.

A new hearing is planned to determine how much St. Louis County must pay in damages to three trash haulers, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. 

The Missouri Supreme Court upheld the St. Louis County Circuit Court ruling that said the county broke state law because it did not give waste haulers two years' notice before setting up trash districts. 

The eight districts serve unincorporated parts of the county, such as Mehlville and Oakville.

Find out what's happening in Mehlville-Oakvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

American Eagle Waste Industries, Meridian Waste Services and Waste Management of Missouri sued the county when they did not get contracts after the districts were established.

In 2008, the county created eight trash districts as part its waste management code. The districts enabled the county to negotiate contracts with haulers and provide for unified waste collection, recycling and bulky trash pickup services for residents.

Find out what's happening in Mehlville-Oakvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Prior to that, residents in unincorporated portions of the county could choose their own haulers, which resulted in several different trash trucks driving through the same neighborhoods at various times.

The ruling stated the haulers were due, "the amount they would have received under their contract during the two-year waiting period."

In May 2011, the St. for trash service contracts for the county’s eight trash districts. Earlier in the year, the council approved extending the length of contracts with its waste haulers from three to five years in hopes of receiving better rates.

South County homeowners were expected to save between $30 and $52 a year with the new contracts that began Oct. 3, 2011. Residents no longer have to pay a monthly rental fee for their recycling carts with the new contracts.

Council members Steve Stenger, District 6, and Greg Quinn, District 7, cast the opposing votes in each decision. 

Stenger and Quinn also voted against  for the county’s haulers. Stenger had said he was concerned that longer contracts would make it more difficult for smaller hauling companies to compete.

Read reaction from attorneys for the waste companies and the county in the complete Post-Dispatch article.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Mehlville-Oakville