From Harford County government:
Harford County government finalized an agreement Wednesday for outsourcing the county’s solid waste management services to Maryland Environmental Service (MES), a not-for-profit, quasi-state agency with a track record of improving efficiencies and customer service. The outsourcing agreement will not raise prices or limit services at the county’s landfill and recycling center.
MES will be reimbursed only for the cost of services it provides, according to the 10-month agreement covering August 31 through the remainder of fiscal year 2016. Total reimbursements will not exceed the approved $4.7 million county budget for such services over the same time period. MES services will include operation of the county’s Waste Disposal Center in Street and the Tollgate Rd. drop-off site in Bel Air. However, the county will retain oversight of its facilities and policy control over operations.
MES began conducting on-site customer surveys to identify opportunities for improving customer service after the county Board of Estimates approved the contract award to MES earlier this month. In addition, nearly all of the approximately 40 county employees whose jobs are being eliminated by the outsourcing have found other positions, primarily with MES or in critical-need areas of county government arising from an earlier retirement incentive. The county first announced plans for the outsourcing in June. The announcement was timed to maximize job opportunities for affected county employees.
Established in 1970, MES provides environmentally responsible services to government and private sector clients in over 700 projects throughout the state and the region. Staffing flexibility, broad access to resources, plus economies of scale, allow MES to provide efficient and customer-friendly service, while offering clients the potential for cost avoidance and cost savings. A portion of the $150,000 initial cost savings to Harford County, already identified by MES, will fund a county position to oversee the MES contract. The complete MES contract is published on the county website at http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/download/2633.pdf
Is this the landfill where workers were let go , some with only a few years left til retirement. I heard one worker had 27 years on and needed 30 to retire . Maybe I dreamt it
Maybe the same one? This would be the one where long time friend of the Harford insiders club ( that small group that rotates friends of developers through the council and executive) inserts ex County Executive into lucrative contract regardless of harm to long term employees or real cost savings.
Forty families disrupted by this deal between our current County Exec. and a past County Exec that does not pass the smell test. Even if most employees are hired by MES……they still loose seniority, retirement and county benefits……since MES is a semi-private buisness. Hopefully, the pending lawsuit against this deal will gain traction. They never said how many really lost their job…..so much for loyality given to a county job; does that mean they are now on unemployment. Bad move by the County.
“Will not raise prices or limit services”, how does this increase efficiency? “Total reimbursements will not exceed $4.7M”? I will be interested to see how actual spend compares to this number. How much are you willing to wager the $4.7M gets spent? I know a reporter wrote this article but, where is the cost savings and efficiency deliverables for this this contract? Does this deal really benefit Harford county taxpayers?
Whether this transfer was a good idea or a bad one, it seems like a pretty idiotic move to take and publish a picture of you sitting there smiling about it while people are losing their jobs.
just sayin.
Of course the biggest smile there belongs to Mr. Harking who stands to fill his wallet with loads of cash. It’s good to be in the club – very, very good.
So which on of Barry or Jim’s friend is going to fill the position to oversee the contract?
I thought I read about a lawsuit being filed on behalf of some displaced employees to block this.
I hope so. It’s a shame that dirty politics rears its ugly head once again in podunk Harford County. Why do you need a whole position to oversee a contract anyway? If you believe there will be cost savings from such a scheme, I have swampland Id like to sell you. No one will benefit from this deal, least of which are the taxpaying citizens, except the Harford County in-crowd. Harkins has been cultivating such a deal for a very long time.
And Just Who are these Smiling Faces in the picture, besides Billy, Barry and Jimmie?
Smiling Faces Sometimes:
Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend
Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within
Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes
They don’t tell the truth uh
Smiling faces, smiling faces
Tell lies and I got proof
The truth is in the eyes
Cause the eyes don’t lie, amen
Remember a smile is just
A frown turned upside down
My friend let me tell you
Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes
They don’t tell the truth, uh
Smiling faces, smiling faces
Tell lies and I got proof
Beware, beware of the handshake
That hides the snake
I’m telling you beware
Beware of the pat on the back
It just might hold you back
Jealousy (jealousy)
Misery (misery)
Envy
I tell you, you can’t see behind smiling faces
Smiling faces sometimes they don’t tell the truth
Smiling faces, smiling faces
Tell lies and I got proof
Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes
They don’t tell the truth
Smiling faces, smiling faces
Tell lies and I got proof
(Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes)
(Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes)
I’m telling you beware, beware of the handshake
That hides the snake
Listen to me now, beware
Beware of that pat on the back
It just might hold you back
Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes
They don’t tell the truth
Smiling faces, smiling faces
Tell lies and I got proof
Your enemy won’t do you no harm
Cause you’ll know where he’s coming from
Don’t let the handshake and the smile fool ya
Take my advice I’m only try’ to school ya