Montebello trash haulers drop recall effort

Trash haulers angry at Montebello’s decision to grant an exclusive contract to one hauling company have backed off on efforts to kick two City Council members out of office.

Haulers were planning to launch a recall of Robert Urteaga and Kathy Salazar -– two of the three council members who supported the contract -– but decided to drop the effort based on legal advice from their attorney, officials said.

If the recall bid is reinstated, it could lead to the second such election in less than two years in a city where tumultuous infighting has culminated in an ugly battle over trash rights.

In July, Urteaga, Salazar and Mayor Rosie Vasquez voted to approve an exclusive 15-year trash contract with Athens Services.

Haulers immediately began collecting signatures for a referendum on the decision, saying the council should have opened the contract up for bidding before granting Athens exclusive rights in the city, where 12 other haulers currently serve.

In October, residents filed two lawsuits against the city over the referendum. One says petitioners left out key information in order to collect signatures, and seeks to block the city from putting the referendum before voters. Athens is paying the legal fees. The second suit demands that the city make a decision on the referendum.

Petitioners collected almost twice the number of signatures needed to put the referendum on the ballot.

The same majority on the council that supported the contract voted in October to keep the item off the March ballot and send it to the courts, where it is awaiting a hearing this month.

The controversy over the trash contract arose amid accusations that Urteaga, Salazar and Vasquez, who collectively received more than $21,000 in campaign contributions from Athens since 2005, granted the contract as part of a pay-to-play deal.

-- Catherine Ho

Comments

[Montebello Watch]

How wrong can you get it.

How can haulers start a recall since they're business people, only registered voters in the city can start a recall.

It's the people of Montebello who are outraged by the unethical and illegal activities of council members Rosie Vasquez, Convicted Felon Robert Urteaga, and Kathy Salazar.

It's the people of Montebello who will start the recall on these self serving politicians.