TITLE:
title
WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM ENTERPRISE (WISE) AGREEMENT
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DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/GENERAL SERVICES DIVISION
PRESENTED BY: RAJA SETHURAMAN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
CONTACT INFORMATION: PATRICK BAUER, DEPUTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, (714) 754-5029
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Approve the Waste Infrastructure System Enterprise (WISE) Agreement with the County of Orange for municipal solid waste disposal rates and services.
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement, and all related documents, on behalf of the City and make minor modifications as necessary.
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BACKGROUND:
The County of Orange, through Orange County Waste & Recycling (OCWR), operates the County-owned landfill system, including three active landfills and approximately 20 inactive sites. Since 1997, Orange County cities have participated in the Waste Disposal Agreement (WDA), which provided guaranteed landfill capacity and disposal rates of at least ten percent (10%) below noncontract customers. The WDA has been amended several times, in 2004, 2009, 2015 and most recently for a one-year extension in 2025.
As the WDA neared expiration, OCWR developed the successor Waste Infrastructure System Enterprise (WISE) Agreement (Attachment 1). The Orange County City Managers Association (OCCMA), representing cities, sanitary districts, and special districts that rely on the landfill system, coordinated review and negotiations beginning in late 2024. In 2025, OCCMA secured a one-year extension of the WDA through June 30, 2026, allowing additional time for negotiations.
Costa Mesa currently has seven approved non-exclusive franchise waste haulers. These haulers are responsible for paying disposal rates set through the WISE Agreement.
ANALYSIS:
The current WDA limits annual rate increases to CPI and does not account for rising operational, regulatory, and environmental compliance costs at Orange County L...
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