CO0020159 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

June 25, 2004 Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc. City of Manteca San Joaquin County Page 3 of 4 • The department's fee schedule, listing equipment and associated costs; • Copies of time records showing time in and time out; • Incident report with details of the response; • Copies of bills for cleaning and,equipment replacement; • A copy of the local ordinance or state law that authorizes the department to seek reimbursement; • The name and phone number of the person authorized to answer questions about the invoice. We are not at the point where we can evaluate the invoices. As the third party administrator we are obligated to determine the real costs and to make sure the are driven by law. The entities billing this work should be responsive and willing to explain the invoice when someone questions line items rather than threatening the parties with collection. The average nationwide cost to clean a 104 gallon spill is $9,200. This spill was minimal, no where near 104 gallons, although the charges are 5 times the average. These invoices are well beyond the average, considering this spill was minor. Additionally, the incident occurred at 10:45 a.m. As of 4:00 p.m. the cleanup had not begun. It is my understanding Safety-Kleen is sensitive to public entities' limited budgets. Safety-Kleen advertises itself as an agency that "can help" minimize the costs to the public agencies. Cleaning a small (a few gallons) spill for $39,659.40 is not being sensitive to budget issues or affording a reasonable cost. I believe it is Safety-Kleen's policy to assist government agencies "Achieve cost- o ective (my emphasis) environmental compliance." Additionally, waiting from 10:45 a.m. to well past 4:00 p.m. to clean up the spill is a convenient method to exaggerate the problem. The invoice includes $4,000 for an "Emergency Response." Safety-Kleen did not arrive at the scene until early evening, hardly a quick response to an incident that occurred almost 12 hours prior to Safety-Kleen's arrival at the scene. Before further consideration can be given to payment of the invoices, please state the basis for your claim. What did Mr. Wyman do to cause or contribute to the spill? You will need to provide complete documentation including receipts. Please provide a copy of the emergency services reimbursement ordinance or statute. What legal authority do you rely on? I