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Appeals court sides with Flint's mayor for a third time in trash dispute

steve carmody
/
Michigan Radio

Flint’s mayor hopes a new court ruling will allow the city to finally end its trash dispute.

For the third time, the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling preventing Flint mayor Karen Weaver from choosing the city’s garbage hauler.

For months, Weaver wanted the city to hire Rizzo Environmental Services to empty its trash cans. But a majority of the city council wanted to keep the old trash company, Republic Services, and took the mayor to court.

The mayor insists Rizzo is the cheaper option. City council leaders counter that Republic has ties to and employees in Genesee County, making it the lowest and best bidder. 

The lower court judge issued restraining orders against the mayor and directed Republic to continue picking up trash while the mayor and city council leaders talked.  

The mayor hopes this latest ruling by the appeals court will lead to resolving the matter “once and for all.”

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
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