Waste Management board approves contracts to help meet federal deadlines
Published: March 22, 2013
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ST. THOMAS - The V.I. Waste Management Authority board met Thursday and took action on a number of large contracts to help close the territory's landfills by federal deadlines, develop revenue generation programs and provide daily operations and management of the Bovoni Landfill.
The authority is under two federal consent decrees with the Environmental Protection Agency to close the landfills. The agreements include strict timelines to meet the goals set out in the consent decrees, and Waste Management Authority Executive Director May Adams Cornwall said the authority is understaffed and in need of specialized engineering services to comply with the federal requirements.
Additionally, the V.I. Department of Finance and the Waste Management Authority must meet specific accounting requirements for reporting the costs of the landfill closures.
A Request for Proposals was issued in June 2012 for a consultant to assist with the accounting and engineering needs. According to Cornwall, Waste Management received only two responses, and the selection committee recommended Oasis Consulting Services, which was approved by the board Thursday.
The scope of work was broken into nine tasks for each of the three landfills - Anguilla, Bovoni and the Susannaberg transfer station on St. John.
The estimated $4.6 million contract covers the next five years, with each year's budget to be negotiated and approved based on the tasks required.
The 2013 task order amount will not exceed $884,436, with the funding coming from two sources: the General Fund and past bond issues.
The board on Thursday also approved a contract for financial consulting to Seslia and Company. The contract covers a three-year period, with an option to renew for two one-year extensions. The consultant will not be paid more than $260,000 per year under the contract.
Cornwall said Seslia and Company will help the Waste Management Authority develop revenue-generation programs and initiatives to include disposal fees, wastewater user fees and energy initiatives. The company previously had worked with the Waste Management Authority to develop a strategic plan for moving toward self-sufficiency.
When the Waste Management Authority was created in 2004, it was given the ability to create its own revenue streams so that it would not have to rely on General Fund budget appropriations.
The authority made an attempt to institute an environmental user fee on all goods arriving in the territory, but the proposal was denied by the V.I. Public Services Commission in 2007.
A $13.2 million contract to A9 Trucking Enterprises also was approved Thursday. The contract is for management and operation of the Bovoni Landfill for a five-year period. The contract retroactively began Oct. 2, 2012, and expires Oct. 1, 2017.
The board approved a $30,000 contract for Daphne Harley to continue providing consulting services for the Citizen Advisory Committee and the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan.
The board also approved a $57,200 contract for engineering services to Ronald Phillips for work on capital improvement projects funded by the EPA and the Department of the Interior.
Board members LaVerne Ragster, V.I. Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls, Val Collins and Dodson James attended Thursday's meeting and approved all the measures unanimously.
- Contact reporter Aldeth Lewin at 714-9111 or email alewin@dailynews.vi.
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