The Waitaki District Council has taken a further step towards handling the district's waste when the Oamaru landfill closes, giving approval for more detailed negotiations with its selected contractor, Waste Management Ltd.
But it was not without a challenge at this week's meeting by Cr Hugh Perkins, who was worried the council was losing flexibility and control over the waste stream.
The council has examined several options for when the landfill is scheduled to close next year, choosing Waste Management, but ensuring the involvement of community owned and operated Waitaki Resource Recovery Trust and its recycling operation.
Methods to run the operation were investigated, including setting up a council-owned company and a joint venture.
Yesterday, the council decided to pursue negotiating a partnership agreement and ''build, own, operate transfer'' (Boot) contract with Waste Management.
That includes building a transfer station and finding a disposal landfill outside the district.
It has appointed Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher, Kathy Dennison and Cr Perkins as its representatives in negotiations.
But Cr Perkins favoured a joint venture structure, and voted against proceeding with a partnership agreement and Boot contract.
He did not know what the future would bring, but expected major changes in the way waste was handled. That could cost the council opportunities.
For example, clean incineration to produce energy may be an option.
''I have difficulty with handing the project over to an independent company interested in handling as much waste as possible to make as big a profit as possible,'' he said.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said forming a joint venture by setting up a council-owned company handling $1.5 million to $2.5 million a year would cost more than the structure being proposed.
The partnership agreement and Boot contract was felt to be the best option, but ''the devil will be in the detail'' of the contract.
He believed that could be addressed by ensuring the contract was written very well and had no loopholes in it.
Assets manager Neil Jorgensen also emphasised the council, at any stage, could still walk away from the structure if it was not satisfied with negotiations and the contract, which would come back for councillors' approval.
Cr Jim Hopkins said this was the beginning of a process which could be discontinued at any time.
He believed flexibility could be built into the contract to take care of future changes, including if a landfill became available in the district, or incineration.
''The plug can also be pulled at any stage,'' he said.
