Council wants a say in landfill decisions

A member of the Salt Lake County Council fears his colleagues can be bought.

David Wilde's accusation came Tuesday afternoon during a regular meeting while the council was determining who should sit on a three-person committee to review landfill and sanitation issues. After multiple shake-ups with contracts and management at the county landfill, the council wants to have a say in future decisions.

At the meeting, a motion was made to recommend Michael Jensen, Joe Hatch and Cort Ashton to serve on the committee. But Wilde said he was uncomfortable, since lobbyist Dave Nicponski is connected with Allied Waste, the county's former trash hauler, and also has donated money to the campaign funds of several members of the council, including Wilde. This year, Nicponski donated $500 to Wilde's opponent, Diane Turner's, campaign.

His accusation about donor influence set off Jensen, who said his hands are clean.

"Is there a reason I shouldn't serve?" Jensen said. "Does somebody think there are puppet strings above my head that I'm going to do whatever Allied (Waste) tells me to do?"

Hatch was just as upset since he said Nicponski "has given me zero," while Wilde has taken money from the lobbyist.

"If it hasn't tainted you, it hasn't tainted me," Hatch said. "Why is our heart less pure than yours, Mr. Wilde? You impugned us."

Wilde wanted Mark Crockett, Marv Hendrickson and Jim Bradley to serve on the committee.

In the end, the council voted to allow its five Republican members to pick two people to serve on the committee, while the council's four Democratic members can pick the other member. Those decisions will be made in caucus meetings.

The county landfill is in turmoil. The landfill's executive director was forced out of his job Friday after a report commissioned by Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon found widespread employee complaints about discrimination, harassment and nepotism.

The move was part of a major shake-up of landfill management. In total, four top managers at the facility were demoted or forced out of their jobs.

The county also recently ended a long-time contract with Allied Waste. Corroon said he will save the county $1.2 million a year by signing a contract to hire Western Disposal to haul trash from the county's transfer station to the county landfill.

Hatch said he wants the committee to weigh in on issues like these so all the power is not in the hands of the mayor's office.

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E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com