Re: [greenyes] Minneapolis processing contract

["Eric Lombardi" <eric@no.address>]

Thanks Susan for getting back to me/us on this.   You have proven once again
that the process is as important as the result, and that if we all just take
a longer view on things that we may see that what looks like a set-back is
indeed another piece of a bigger picture falling into place.  I hope that
the city officials "enjoy" the increased revenues YOU won for them.. and I
hope you and your supporters will remind them of that often over an annual
lunch meeting where you can keep a close eye on the contract offering in 36
months...:-).

How are things with the St. Paul collection and processing contract?

Eric


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan Hubbard" <susanh@no.address>
To: "'Eric Lombardi'" <eric@no.address>; "'Dianna Kennedy'"
<diannak@no.address>; <greenyes@no.address>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 9:35 AM
Subject: RE: [greenyes] Minneapolis processing contract


> Eric,
> Just weeding through the many emails we received about the Minneapolis
> contract. I know you sent this very long ago but with a little time
> available now, I am trying to respond to all of the questions that we
> received. I hope that this information is still useful to you. I wanted to
> address your question regarding pay rates and the impact on the contract
> selection.
>
> Your Question... you say that your proposal included "fair pay and
> benefits" but that "Some decision makers felt these
> qualities made Eureka Recycling more risky than our competitors..."
Could
> you share with us the details on this?  Were your wages and benefits a lot
> higher than BFI and Waste Management?  If so, how much higher?  For those
of
> us in the trenches, these sorts of details are critical to our future.
>
>
> At Eureka Recycling we hire fulltime permanent employees that are eligible
> for full benefits, holidays and paid time off. We understand industry
> practices (at least in this area) are to hire workers through temp
agencies,
> this in effect hires that person at much lower wages since they are not
> eligible for any benefits. We have and will continue to use temporary
> employees when we have shifting labor requirements but we will never use
> temporary labor as a way of evading paying our employees a fair wage and
> providing them with beneifts.
>
> The city of Minneapolis' contract required contractors to provide
employees
> payment of a living wage but (to the best of our knowledge) had no
mechanism
> to verify that the contractor actually provided this requirement. Living
> Wage is $9.50 hour for a family of four. All of our employees are paid in
> excess of this amount.
>
> We are satisfied that the process we went through (although frankly quite
> brutal) did provide some benefit. BFI, who had the contract before and was
> awarded the new contract will be paying the city of Minneapolis a fair
share
> of the revenues generated (many times more than what they had been paying
> previously) which we think will result in greater sustainability of
> recycling.
>
> Thank you for all your support,
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Susan Hubbard
> CEO
> Eureka Recycling
> 2828 Kennedy St., NE
> Minneapolis, MN 55413
>
> 651.222.7678
> 612.623.3277 Fax
>
> www.eurekarecycling.org
>
> Waste Is Preventable Not Inevitable
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eric Lombardi [mailto:eric@no.address]
> Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 9:51 AM
> To: Dianna Kennedy; greenyes@no.address
> Subject: Re: [greenyes] Minneapolis processing contract
>
> Dianna,
>
> I am so sorry about this outcome.  Over the next 36 months, show them how
> damn good Eureka is and then go get this contract!  The community deserves
> to have you steering the ship.
>
> Question... you say below that your proposal included "fair pay and
> benefits" but that "Some decision makers felt these
> qualities made Eureka Recycling more risky than our competitors..."
Could
> you share with us the details on this?  Were your wages and benefits a lot
> higher than BFI and Waste Management?  If so, how much higher?  For those
of
> us in the trenches, these sorts of details are critical to our future.
>
> Thanks, and keep up the great work!
>
> Eric at Eco-Cycle
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dianna Kennedy" <diannak@no.address>
> To: <greenyes@no.address>
> Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 8:14 AM
> Subject: [greenyes] Minneapolis processing contract
>
>
> >
> > For those of you tracking the RFP for the contract in Minneapolis to
> > process recycling, this is the letter Eureka Recycling issued to the
> > community last week following the council decision. The debate was
> > lengthy--nearly 3 hours, and followed several months of discussion in
> > two separate council committees. There is more information about the
> > process on our website at www.eureakrecycling.org. Feel free to contact
> > us and thanks for your support.
> >
> > April 6, 2004
> >
> > Dear Minneapolis Recyclers:
> >
> > The Minneapolis City Council voted last Friday to negotiate with BFI for
> > the Minneapolis contract to process the recycling that is picked up by
> > the hauling consortium, MRI, and city collectors in your neighborhood.
> > Although we are disappointed that Eureka Recycling was not selected, we
> > are writing today to call your attention to the benefits that this
> > process did bring about.
> >
> > Most importantly, we are awed by the community support for our
> > organization and your knowledge and commitment to recycling. And, we are
> > impressed and energized by the amount of awareness this process raised
> > concerning the economic, social and environmental benefits of recycling.
> > There should be no doubt that Minneapolis recyclers care deeply about
> > their program and wish to see the city make decisions that reflect their
> > values. The sting of the final vote was lessened by the heartfelt
> > comments of several council members regarding our organization. We
> > extend sincere gratitude to Council Members Paul Zerby, Gary Schiff,
> > Paul Ostrow, Dean Zimmermann, Dan Niziolek and all of you for being
> > champions for sustainable recycling through your support of our
> > proposal.
> >
> > Eureka Recycling is proud to have introduced competition into the
> > marketplace, inspiring both BFI and WMI to offer better proposals than
> > they originally put forward to Minneapolis. This competition has put the
> > City of Minneapolis in an excellent position to negotiate for more money
> > from the sale of materials than ever before. In acknowledgement of this
> > success, Council President Paul Ostrow and other council members have
> > stated their commitment to ensure that competition be fostered in the
> > future by limiting this contract to three years without extension.
> >
> > Additionally, the extensive discussion of this contract has focused
> > attention on key factors that make any initiative sustainable, including
> > fair pay and benefits to a diverse workforce from a "locally-owned"
> > company that invests in the community. Some decision makers felt these
> > qualities made Eureka Recycling more risky than our competitors, but we
> > believe that this risk is the only risk worth taking: one that attempts
> > to add something of value to that community and aims to enhance that
> > which is worthwhile.
> >
> > Although this process has come to a close, Eureka Recycling's role in
> > Minneapolis' recycling program has not. For nearly two decades our
> > organization has advocated for recycling and demonstrated the best
> > practices for making programs cost-effective and environmentally sound.
> > Our collection and processing services are provided in the city of Saint
> > Paul, but our concern for effective recycling has never stopped at that
> > border. Now, with our recycling facility in Minneapolis, we are even
> > more committed to efficient collections and processing in our new home
> > town. We are dedicated to ensuring sustainable recycling for you and the
> > thousands of Minneapolis residents who followed this issue and voiced
> > their opinion.
> >
> > We look forward to working with you in the future. Hope to see you at
> > the Living Green Expo, May 1 and 2!
> >
> > Resourcefully yours,
> > Eureka Recycling
> >
> > Posted by Dianna Kennedy
> > Director of Communications
> > Eureka Recycling
> > 2828 Kennedy Street NE
> > Minneapolis, MN  55413
> >
> > (651) 222-7678
> > New FAX: (612) 623-3277
> > diannak@no.address
> >
> > Waste is preventable, not inevitable. To learn more visit
> > www.eurekarecycling.org
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
>
>
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