Garbage stink: Valley Waste vows to cut off service to Annapolis County over unpaid bills

The entity managing waste collection for the Annapolis Valley is vowing to cut off service for residents of the Municipality of the County of Annapolis because of what it says is an outstanding bill for service of about $700,000.

A disagreement has been brewing within the Valley Region Solid Waste-Resource Management Authority for some time, with things coming to a head in April when officials with the Municipality of the County of Annapolis announced intentions to leave the inter-municipal services agreement. It is a move that requires a year's notice.

While the municipality is within its right to leave the agreement, officials with Valley Waste say they've not received any money for services provided since the municipality gaveits notice.

'It impacts our day-to-day operations'

On Wednesday, Valley Waste issued a notice saying it would end curbside collection for Annapolis County after Aug. 17. Service would continue for residents of Bear River First Nation and residents in the six remaining parties to the agreement: Annapolis Royal, Berwick, Kentville, Middleton, Wolfville and the Municipality of the County of Kings.

Barry Corbin, a councillor with the Town of Berwick and vice-chair of the Valley Waste board, said other municipal units have paid in advance for services to try to cover the shortfall.

"It's a significant amount that they owe, obviously, and significant enough that it impacts our day-to-day operations."

To maintain service, Corbin says Annapolis County officials were told they needed to pay their bill in full by July 31, agree to the operating budget the other six partners have supported and sign off on annual debenture plans.

Dispute over what's owed

Instead, a cheque for about $524,000 from Annapolis County was sent in trust to a lawyer representing the other six municipal units, along with conditions before it could be cashed. Because it didn't fulfil the requirements laid out by Valley Waste, Corbin said they were left with no choice but to end service.

But Annapolis County Warden Timothy Habinski said residents of his municipality will not see an end of pickup service for garbage, recyclables or compost.

"The municipality has ensured that collection will continue," he said, although Habinski didn't go into details about how service would look as of Aug. 18.

RCMP called in

Habinski was reserved about answering most questions, in part because the municipality has filed a complaint with the RCMP about correspondence it received from Valley Waste. He would not detail the nature of the complaint and no one from Valley Waste would speculate as to what prompted the complaint, which RCMP confirmed they received on Tuesday.

Habinski did say he believes the cheque sent to Valley Waste fulfilled the municipality's obligations.

"The cheque that we sent in, in combination with the proposal that was sent in, paid for all services received by Annapolis County."

Annapolis County has previously expressed concerns about a contract for processing organic waste as well as contracts with several other partners.

"It's been a number of issues that have cropped up around the table," said Corbin.

Province monitoring the situation

Municipality of the County of Kings Mayor Peter Muttart, who speaks on behalf of the other six municipal units, said the disagreement further complicates Valley Waste's ability to do business because his municipality and Annapolis County must both support financial decisions, such as passing a budget, in order for them to be approved.

Corbin said the board is "most anxious to work with Annapolis County in any way to try to resolve this situation, but we do need to operate on a sound financial footing and that's why we're where we are."

A spokesperson for the province's Municipal Affairs Department would not say if department officials were asked by their municipal counterparts to get involved in the matter. Krista Higdon said in an email it is a municipal matter and the department "will continue to monitor the situation."

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