Tulsa Trash Board Negotiates Lawsuit Settlement With Hauler

The city of Tulsa's trash board approved a settlement with Tulsa Refuse Inc. Monday that clears the way for the board to approve a new hauling contract.

TRI, the current hauler, sued to get an injunction that prevented the contract award. The settlement allows the injunction to be dismissed.

"It goes away like many things in litigation without having a final resolution," said Dan Richey, TRI Attorney.

Trash hauler TRI is one of the highest bidders for the new contract - and in exchange for ending their legal challenge - came away with a possibly meaningless consolation prize.

They get to haul the trash month to month if they don't get the next contract - but only if the new company can't get started by July 1.

"The city will move into a month to month contract, with TRI at the existing rate structure. That's what TRI will receive," said Liz Hunt, TARE Board Spokesperson:

The city won't pay TRI anything for settling the case. TARE Board attorney Drew Edmondson said the negotiations started after all the evidence was on the table, and TRI was advised they'd be sued for attorney fees if they lost.

"We would have been entitled to ask that the other side pay our attorney fees and costs, and we thought we would prevail in court, so in a sense, we're giving that up. Both sides will pay their own attorney fees and costs," Edmondson said.

The trash board continues a methodical process of narrowing down bidders to handle trash, disposal and recyclables.

"We hope to accomplish the process of awarding the three contracts this week," said Cheryl Cohenour, TARE Board Chair.

The council is set to vote on the financing for trash cans Tuesday. The trash board hopes to award the contracts Thursday.

The timeline is getting tighter - because the new hauler is supposed to take over July 1, 2012.

12/17/2012 Related Story: Tulsa's Refuse Hauler Files Suit Against Trash Board