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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Assignment of the “Agreement for Business and Multi-Family Solid Waste Collection Services in Zone C” Contract R107072 between the City of Glendale and Waste Resource Technologies, Inc.
1. Resolution authorizing Assignment of the Agreement for Business and Multi-Family Solid Waste Collection Service in Zone C from Waste Resource Technologies, Inc. (Contract R107072) to Waste Management of California, Inc. (WM)
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Item
Approved for September 30, 2025 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On July 27, 2021, the City Council authorized the establishment of four zones, granting exclusive solid waste franchises for solid waste collection services for commercial establishments and multi-family residential establishments of five units or greater. Council also awarded a franchise agreement for Zone C to Waste Resources Technologies, Inc. (WRT) (Contract R107072). On July 9, 2025, the city received a letter, from WRT, notifying staff of a company ownership change. Specifically, WRT entered into an agreement to sell its business assets to Waste Management (WM). Council authorization is needed to accommodate the requested consent to assignment.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a Resolution authorizing assignment of the Agreement for Business and Multi- Family Solid Waste Collection Service in Zone C Between the City of Glendale and WRT assigning the agreement to WM.
ANALYSIS
The franchise agreement between WRT and the city was formally executed on August 27, 2021. The Agreement was one of four agreements signed with private waste haulers to provide collection service to commercial accounts as part of the city’s exclusive franchise collection program.
The city received a letter on July 9, 2025, from WRT notifying staff of a company ownership change. This notification was accompanied by an introductory letter and 4f2
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information supporting the assignment from WM.
Paragraph 18 of the Agreement provides, in relevant part:
The right granted by this Agreement shall not be transferred, sold, hypothecated, sublet or assigned (collectively “transferred”), nor shall any of the rights or privileges in this Agreement be hypothecated, lease, assigned, sold or transferred, wither whole or in part, nor shall title thereto, either legal or equitable, or any right, interest or property therein, pass to or vest in any person, either by act of Contractor or by operation of law, without the prior consent of the City expressed by resolution. Any attempt to do any of the foregoing with respect to any of the rights in this Agreement without the consent of the City shall be void. For purposes of this Agreement, any dissolution, merger, consolidation, change in control or other reorganization of Contractor shall be deemed an assignment of this Agreement.
The decision to consent to any assignment shall be in the sole discretion of the City Manager, as approved by Resolution adopted by the City’s City Council.
Any application for a transfer of rights shall be in a manner prescribed by the City Manager. The application shall include a transfer fee in an amount equal to fifty thousand dollars (50,000.00). The transfer fee shall be paid by Contractor or Contractor’s assignee upon any such transfer of this Agreement. If City does not receive the transfer fee within thirty (30) days of the transfer date, City shall have the right to terminate this Agreement.
The July 9, 2025 letter requesting consent to assignment was reviewed by the City Attorney’s office. Following receipt of the request, Public Works staff initiated its due diligence to evaluate WM’s qualifications and ability to perform under the contract. WM provided a detailed description of the company’s corporate capability and qualifications in the Assignment Supporting Information report that was submitted to the city and accompanied the original WRT request for assignment letter. The report showed financial performance, experience, local network, regulatory compliance and adherence to best practices needed to successfully operate in Glendale.
Staff has found that WM is the largest United States waste disposal company by revenue according to Waste360. WM currently operates exclusive franchises in the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Lancaster and County of Los Angeles County, as well as numerous other areas in Southern California showing that they are well established in this region.
Waste Management of California, Inc. is a corporation in good standing according to the California Secretary of State that is incorporated in California, with their corporate headquarters are in Texas. WM maintains multiple permitted solid waste facilities in the state, and they are experienced with CalRecycle reporting requirements. Staff believes WM has demonstrated the experience and corporate capacity to take over one of Glendale commercial franchise hauler zones.
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Staff met with representatives from WRT and WM on August 26, 2025, to discuss the proposed reassignment to ensure that the transition between the two companies would occur seamlessly and that affected Glendale businesses and residents would be well informed along every step of the process.
Staff asked WM to provide a formal Transition Plan to the city that describes the steps and process of the transition from one company to the other, and that includes assurances to the commercial customers in Zone C that the transition will have no impacts to their rates nor to the services they are provided, which will remain consistent with the provisions of the existing franchise agreement. Staff has reviewed and is satisfied with the content of the Transition Plan and that services will proceed without operational impacts to multi-family and commercial customers within Franchise Zone C.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
WRT and WM will be responsible for all the primary outreach and education to Zone C customers related to this transition. Glendale will provide updates on the progress of the transition on the city’s website and social media.
FISCAL IMPACT
The transfer fee set forth in the franchise agreement entitles the City of Glendale to a payment in the amount of $50,000, which will be revenues deposited into the Refuse Disposal Fund (5300).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This item is exempt from CEQA requirements because assigning a commercial waste franchise hauler agreement from one private hauling company to another will result in the same level of waste management services currently being provided and there is no environmental impact.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The names and business addresses of the Applicant seeking an entitlement and disclosure of any campaign contributions in the preceding 12 months to City of Glendale elected officials are attached as Exhibit 1 in accordance with City Campaign Finance Ordinance No. 5744.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. The City Council may elect not to approve the resolution and not authorize the assignment. The city expects WRT to continue meeting the terms of the agreement if the resolution is not approved.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
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Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Daniel Hardgrove, Assistant Director of Public Works
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Disclosure – Campaign Finance Ordinance – Applicants Seeking Entitlement