A Meridian Waste garbage truck. | Meridian Waste
Published on March 11, 2025 at 6:00 pm
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A tentative agreement has been reached between the city of Jacksonville and one of its waste haulers after months of dispute between the City Council and mayor over the size of the increase in pay.
The proposed Meridian Waste contract heads back to City Council for approval, possibly as soon as the March 25 meeting.
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Meridian picks up residential garbage, recycling and yard waste across large portions of the Westside, Northside and Arlington. This proposed agreement only affects the Northside residential solid waste contract, and has no effect on the Arlington and Westside contracts, which are not up for rate review or renewal, city officials said.
In a statement Tuesday, Mayor Donna Deegan said she appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with Meridian Waste on a solution that “works for the city and the company.”
“Together, we have made this process more efficient for future administrations and councils, delivered long-term financial stability for all parties, and ensured that Meridian Waste will continue providing the same high-quality service that our citizens have come to expect for many years to come,” Deegan said.
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The City Council initially approved a contract with a 29% rate increase in December, but Mayor Donna Deegan vetoed it, calling it “unnecessary and wasteful.” The City Council overrode that veto and approved the same rate for the Arlington collection area.
Meridian threatened legal action against the city after Jacksonville General Counsel Michael Fackler said that the City Council had violated the separation of powers outlined in the City Charter when it approved the amended contract, according to Jacksonville Today news partner News4Jax. Deegan said she would not pay out the increase.
While the City Council had likely complied with the city’s ordinance code, which gives it the authority to set rates for residential garbage contracts that are up for review, Fackler’s conclusion was that its action violated the “principle of separation of powers explicitly stated in the Charter under these specific facts.” That makes the ordinance invalid, Fackler wrote in his legal opinion.
The Mayor’s Office and Meridian announced the mutually agreeable resolution and compensation agreement for the Northside collection contract on Tuesday, and the proposal was filed with the City Council on Tuesday as an emergency bill. A public hearing would be held on March 25 before City Council, followed by an immediate vote on the contract.
If adopted, the agreement would extend the term of Meridian’s contract by six years (expiring Sept. 30, 2033) with a locked-in base rate capped at 5% for the remainder of the contract. It would also eliminate the rate review process and establish the fiscal year 2024/2025 base rate at $22.39.
In City Hall’s statement on the agreement, Meridian Waste Area President Dave Shepler said the company has always approached this contract with the city as a partnership.
“We believe the proposed amendment achieves the overriding goals of the mayor, the council and the company to ensure the long-term cleanliness and health of the Northside while being fiscally responsible to their constituents and our valued customers,” he said.
The proposal, if approved, also includes a new commitment by Meridian Waste to provide an in-kind or cash Community Partnership Investment valued at $150,000. That would be divided equally over the next three years, starting with the city’s 2025-2026 fiscal year, to benefit economic development, health, human services, environmental and/or beautification initiatives, the City Hall statement said.
