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San .Joaquin/Tuolumne • - bid stallssn ia dfm,l I y CLARE DEWAR ee staff writer San Joaquin County's move to acquire n 880 -acre landfill was stalled Tuesday hen another buyer surfaced for the property located in eastern San Joaquin and northwestern Stanislaus counties. The privately held site now is operated by Foothill Sanitary Landfill Inca But Waste Management of North America Inc. has offered $1.25 million for the pr , which is owned by Howard LejW partnership with others. Attorney Sanford Skaggs of Walnut Creek told the county Board of Supervi- sors that the money has been deposited in an escrow account and pending an environmental review, anticipates a clos- ing date of June 1 on the sale. The county had planned to acquire the` site through its eminent domain powers. But after the proposed sale was an- commerciaF wastens in `f a Stockton science vote for this," he said. area, according to Hirata. Foothill attorney Dante Nomellini cite Its a high stakes poker The firm apparently began negotiations higher fuel, labor and operational costs. game' for the property without knowledge of as well as the need for new equipment a! the board's decision to initiate eminent the reasons for the increase. - Supervisor George Barber domain proceedings. "The amount of money you spend on 4 "It's a high stakes poker game," Super- disposal site is directly related to the visor George Barber said of the pending quality of the equipment," he said. nounced, the board delayed a hearing on ` `sale. "I would do what Mr. Lewis did; get "We're not making substantial profitF the issue until its March 15 session -' ..., he most money I could. Certainly we're at the expense of the county. We have 'open to discussion." new items of cost not there before." Henry Hirata, director of public works, -",, In a separate action, supervisors ap- Hirata pointed out that this request was said county officials had unofficially proved an increase in the county's annual Foothill's first since 1982. heard of the sale, adding, "it's always nice to be told directly_" payment to Foothill Sanitary Landfill Inc. to dump. "We've held cost increments to a mini - "Perhaps operate the The company sought an increase of mum," said Barber. "I think it's being rur: we can meet — staff, their 79.1 percent to $749,068 a year. fairly well at this time." attorneys — and work out some kind of arrangement," Hirata said. "I have no The board approved a 39.1 percent in- Tom Horton, county solid waste man - problem with someone else proposing an crease, to a total of $600,932 a year. ager, said consumers won't pay more to alternative." Board Chairman Bill Sousa cast the use the landfill, since there was a gate sole dissenting vote. fee hike in September in anticipation of Waste Management operates large "I don't think I could in good con- the increase approved Tuesday.