Fresno County Supervisors Direct Staff to Draft New 10-Year Waste Contract

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously directed staff Aug. 11 to return in two months with a new 10-year contract for trash haulers serving unincorporated areas — a decision that affects seven companies currently operating under agreements set to expire in February 2028.

The move came after Supervisor Brian Pacheco questioned why the county would extend flawed contracts for two years rather than rewrite them now. “As a business person, I would want stability,” Pacheco said. “I wouldn’t want to wait two years for stability; I would want that right now.”

The board had previously considered consolidating waste service under a single hauler countywide — a proposal that drew opposition from family-owned companies who’ve operated under the county’s Exclusive Service Area Program (ESAP) since 2005. Those companies argued they gave up their right to compete 20 years ago and invested heavily in recycling facilities in exchange for exclusive service zones.

Advertisement

Joseph Kalpakoff, CEO of Mid Valley Disposal, reminded supervisors of that bargain. “You’ve got five family companies that gave up their right to compete, gave up their right of their business and put it in the hands of the county,” he said. “My ask today for you, supervisors, is to remember that we kept you compliant, the family haulers invested in your county, and give us an extension and let us continue to invest.”

Six of the seven haulers — Industrial Waste and Salvage, Peña’s Disposal, Miramonte Sanitation, Western Solid Waste, Waste Management, and Republic Services — signed a letter warning that a single-hauler system would “put others out of business and significantly reduced the competitive environment for waste and recycling services in the region.”

County staff acknowledged serious problems with the current agreements. Annie Shelton of the Department of Public Works and Planning Resource Division told the board the contracts contain vague language that leaves the county unable to fully enforce compliance. “The way that the contract works right now — and I’ve been very vocal about this — is that it just really doesn’t work,” Shelton said.

Staff had recommended a two-year extension to give new supervisors — three current members are leaving by year’s end — time to understand the program’s history. But Pacheco pushed back: “What difference does it make if it’s two or 10? So let’s make that 10. Give these companies and their employees the stability that they need.”

Supervisor Nathan Chavez also requested adding cleanup services for unincorporated urban zones like Calwa and Mayfair in his district, with costs paid only by affected residents.

The Breakdown

• Seven trash haulers currently operate under Exclusive Service Area Program agreements in Fresno County’s unincorporated areas, with contracts expiring February 2028.
• The Board of Supervisors unanimously directed staff to draft a new 10-year contract within 60 days, rather than extending flawed agreements for two years.
• Current contracts have “vague language” that prevents the county from enforcing compliance, according to county staff.
• The county had previously considered consolidating to a single hauler countywide but backed away after opposition from family-owned companies.
• Waste service is optional for residents and businesses in unincorporated areas; they can self-haul if they comply with county ordinances.

What This Means for You

If you live in unincorporated Fresno County, the Board of Supervisors just decided how your trash service will work for the next decade — whether you’ll continue choosing from multiple local haulers or see that system change. The supervisors chose to direct staff to write a new contract rather than award all the work to one company, depending on whether staff can actually write enforceable contract terms in the next two months.

This also matters for what you’ll pay. Supervisor Chavez’s request to add cleanup services in areas like Calwa and Mayfair would only charge residents who receive those services — a pattern worth watching as the contract takes shape, since “user pays” can mean either fairness or leaving some neighborhoods behind.

What You Can Do

The Board of Supervisors meets regularly with opportunities for public comment. Staff will return with the draft 10-year contract in approximately 60 days — contact the Fresno County Board of Supervisors’ office to confirm the date and how to comment on the contract before it’s approved.

What to Watch

The real test is whether county staff can actually write a contract that solves the enforcement problems they described. Annie Shelton said the current agreements “just really doesn’t work” because of vague language — but the board gave her 60 days to fix 20 years of problems, a timeline that raises the question of whether this will be thorough or rushed.

There’s also a stewardship question embedded in this decision. Family haulers told the board they invested in recycling facilities and kept the county compliant after giving up their right to compete — but if those agreements were too vague to enforce, how do we know the county actually got what it paid for? A contract that protects jobs is a good thing; a contract that can’t hold anyone accountable isn’t serving the people who pay for it.

And watch what happens with Chavez’s request for added cleanup in Calwa and Mayfair. “User pays” sounds fair, but in practice it can mean wealthier areas get services while poorer neighborhoods — the ones that often need cleanup most — can’t afford them. If the county writes those services into the contract, will they also build in a way to make sure every neighborhood, not just the ones that can pay extra, stays clean?