PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A settlement has been reached between Port St. Lucie and its former trash hauler following years of contentiousness.
The city announced Friday they reached an agreement with Waste Pro that resolves the legal dispute related to its prior solid waste collection contract.
The agreement includes a cash settlement of $24 million to the city.
"This payment fully resolves the lawsuit and includes both sides agreeing to release each other from all outstanding claims and formally dismiss the case," the city posted on its Facebook page.
Officials said they will now review options for the appropriate use of the settlement funds, which will be discussed at future council workshops or public meetings.
All of this comes after WPTV has tracked trash complaints from Port St. Lucie residents for years.
The problems came to a head during the COVID-19 pandemic when the city was inundated with complaints about trash being left outside homes for weeks.
The city claimed Waste Pro breached its contract for its standard of service, while the company blamed a pandemic labor shortage.
Waste Pro sent WPTV the following statement regarding the settlement:
"Waste Pro and the City of Port St. Lucie have reached an amicable settlement resolving a longstanding legal dispute stemming from service challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. In keeping with its commitment to put people first, Waste Pro agreed to resolve the matter with the hopes that it will directly benefit the residents.
The challenges created by the global pandemic presented unprecedented operational and financial impacts across essential service providers nationwide. The demand for drivers with a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) across all trucking-type industries, including solid waste, outpaced the supply. The amount of general household and bulky trash increased significantly as folks stayed home and did large landscaping, clean up and home improvement projects. At the same time, crews were out sick, quarantined or quit out of fear of contracting the virus through exposure to trash. Supply chain shortages caused delays in new trucks and parts to repair the fleet. Despite these challenging circumstances, Waste Pro remained committed to prioritizing and serving the residents and businesses of the Port St. Lucie community.
Throughout the duration of its 16-year relationship with the city, Waste Pro remained committed to fulfilling its responsibilities. During the pandemic, it deployed additional crews, equipment, and resources to support local operations during workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions. Our dedicated, hardworking crews were the City’s tireless friends and neighbors who worked from sunup to sundown day after day to keep communities where they live and work safe and clean.
'The Covid-19 pandemic created unforeseen and extraordinary circumstances impacting workforce availability and operations across the country,' said Keith Banasiak, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President. 'Despite those challenges, our team remained focused on continuing service and supporting the Port St. Lucie community. We believe this resolution is in the best interest of our former customers, the residents.'
This resolution reflects Waste Pro’s continued commitment to putting residents first inthe communities it proudly serves. The company is hopeful that any funds associated with the settlement will ultimately be returned to the residents of Port St Lucie, reinforcing Waste Pro’s commitment to the community it served for many years."
