Update: Smear Fails In Garbage War
BY BUDDY NEVINS
“Alligator” Ron Bergeron won his nickname for wrestling the deadly snapping, squirming beasts.
But pinning hundreds of pounds of reptile is nothing compared to the victory he won Tuesday night.
Alligator Ron Bergeron
Wealthy entrepreneur Bergeron beat the multinational garbage giant Waste Management, smashing its decades-long monopoly over trash disposal in a majority of Broward cities.The Miramar City Commission unanmously handed his joint venture a waste disposal contract, rejecting a Waste Management proposal as too expensive.
Bergeron now adds waste disposal to his portfolio of businesses, which include road building (He’s widening a section of Interstate 595 right now.), mining (We call them rock pits.), real estate development and disaster recovery.
He also beat back an anonymous campaign that attempted to smear his partner in the garbage business — Southern Waste System’s Anthony Lomangino.
Here is my story on Tuesday’s vote in Browardbulldog.org.
An earlier story on the smear is below:
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BY BUDDY NEVINS
The garbage industry is a dirty business.
So it is no surprise when a company tries to break a two-decade long monopoly of waste disposal in Broward County that this company suddenly gets smeared.
Anonymous letters were delivered to Broward County Commissioners and the news media last week alleging that Southern Waste System’s owner had a shady, underworld past.
SWS’s owner Anthony Lomangino has never been convicted of anything. Nothing. Nada.
Still, the packet also alleged he was forced to sell his New York City waste company because of investigations into underhanded practices in the industry.
The truth is that Lomangino did sell out. If he was forced to sell, he probably was squealing like Brer Rabbit in the folktale: “Please, Brer Fox, please don’t throw me into the briar patch.”
Lomangino picked up over $190 million for his waste company.
Why is all this coming out now?
Maybe because Miramar commissioners are scheduled to discuss the city’s waste disposal contract later this week. It was the first Broward city to competitively bid its disposal contract in attempt to see if Waste Management’s no-bid monopoly really offered the best price.
And guess what?
Lomangino’s SWS in partnership with entrepreneur Ron Bergeron bid roughly $5-a-ton less than Waste Management.
That would save the taxpayers millions annually is expanded across the county.
So what happened after Waste Management couldn’t offer the low bid.
Suddenly Lomangino is smeared anonymously.
I’m not accusing Waste Management of any involvement in the Lomangino smear.
But the timing is interesting.
The Dirty Waste Industry
These tactics are nothing new in the dirty waste industry.
All Service sicced a detective on Sunrise commissioner Sheila Alu and tried to smear her a few years ago.
Her crime? She suggested her city competitively bid a hauling contract that had been a monopoly of All Service for years.
While working at the Sun-Sentinel, I traced the smear directly to All Service.
Waste Management, who has controlled Broward’s garbage disposal in 26 cities for decades, has plenty of dirt in its closet. There have been allegations across the nation of wrongdoing stretching back a generation.
Earlier this year, Palm Beach Commissioners publicly accused Waste Management of cheating the county.
Earlier this month, the inspector general in Palm Beach County said the company’s no-bid contract in Delray Beach “didn’t pass the public smell test” and called for competitive bidding.
Competitive bidding is apparently something Waste Management doesn’t like.
Once again, I’m not accusing Waste Management of involvement in the smear. But regardless of who smeared Lomangino, such anonymous attacks are the tactic of losers.
Commissioners voting on this issue need to stay focused on the issue: How to make the homeowners and businesses winners by considering the best and lowest disposal firm.
March 18th, 2012 at 8:44 am
I would not be surprised but would expect ‘pass thru’ profits(however they are disguised) to the county and city coffers as other revenue streams along w/ property values are down. Its a one shot deal as they ‘negotiate’ the long term contract, and savings to the individual end user is not the intent of anyone at the table.
March 19th, 2012 at 11:18 am
I’m not a big fan of Bergeron. In this case, he is right. Competition is needed and a company like Waste Management should have a sinicure for life.
March 19th, 2012 at 3:52 pm
Buddy,
You have it ALMOST right. Commisioners need to make the homeoweners and businesses winners by considering the best and lowest non Mob cartel related disposal firm.
FROM BUDDY:
This smear is what is called in the Legislature “heifer dust,” i.e., an irrelevancy thrown up to confuse.
Waste Management has a history of predatory and monopolistic business practices.
It has been accused of robbing taxpayers of million, including in Palm Beach County just earlier this year. The company admitted avoiding the payments to Palm Beach County by trucking garbage to Broward, thus violating its contract and stealing money from the Palm Beach taxpayers.
Just read this from the Village Voice in New York City writing about Waste Management:
“Its former chief executive along with other top officials were allegedly “cooking the books,” overstating profits by more than $1.7 billion in what regulators termed a greedy scheme to dupe shareholders. A three-year federal investigation of what was considered one of the worst of the pre-Enron corporate scandals led to a decision last August in which Waste Management agreed to pay $26.8 million to cover the settlement of federal charges against the former executives who admitted no wrongdoing.”
The story goes on to relate how Waste Management arbritrarily cancelled health benefits for employees despite multi-million dollar profits.
So there is plenty in Waste Management’s closet, too.
This should be decided on the basis of the low bid. The rest of this is smear tactics.
March 19th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Where’s the “trash lady” herself Comm.Lieberman, who back stabbs her friend, orchestrated by Bev Stracher again poor Mayor Talabisco being the scape goat(but no sooo fast) .Charges dropped. Back to the trash lady here . The real question here is who does Comm.Lieberman want to get the contract???? An d whats this Comm.Alu such a poor innocent bystander, my ass.From this orchestrated story that Brittany Wallman husband was screwing Ms. Alu. Ex to there Meatball(Rothstein body guard), bozo Rothstein(Chief Adderly’s buddy-some friend (your taste sir(i’ve seen the woman who you have dated since Mrs.adderly basiccly threw you to the curb, quite literally is not to impressive(Apr 3). Anyway this orchestrated “bs” lets see what Alu knows-Oh I know your an FBI informant(wow). Comm.Alu so concerned about her trash pick up, but yet rumors flying all over the place that she is basiclly a wench(going around). I smell a rat and it starts w/ Adderly (oh he had help(plenty) and they all should be ashamed of themselves. All for thi s fat, disgusting pig Scott Rothstein-I know Chief you paid for your own meals at Bova. Yeah you paid for your own meals(so what) but you conviently omit the fact in doing so you where cheating on your wife, which inciedently nearly got your head blown off in the process. I know you paid for your own meals. This trash topic Buddy how fitting for the likes of these pigs.
March 19th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
I work for a hauling company doing business in Broward unconnected with SWS. I find it strange that governments along the Gold Coast have handed SWS franchises and they do business everywhere without any mention of mob ties until they try to compete with Waste Management.
March 19th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
perhaps the Herald article prompted Tues. BCC agenda item 57 RFP and backup, or just interesting timing….Thank you Buddy!
http://205.166.161.204/docs/2012/CCCM/20120320_297/10881_RodstromJ-RRB-solidwaste-EXHIBIT1-031412.pdf
http://205.166.161.204/docs/2012/CCCM/20120320_297/10881_RodstromJ-RRB-solidwaste-EXHIBIT2-031412.pdf
March 19th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
Buddy,
No one said Waste Management’s hands were clean. Once again, you jump to conclusions about is said. WM has a full cache and history of dirty , unethical dealings. But that doesn’t mean that SWS is w/o mob connections. Both companies are tainted.
March 19th, 2012 at 10:55 pm
@christine
There are no mob connections to SWS just accusations derived from having done business in NY at the wrong time and being Italian. No charges ever filed and Waste Management bought Lomangino’s company. Publicly traded companies do not buy mob owned businesses but WM will lie cheat and steal from taxpayers to defend their outrageous profits garnered from their sweet deal in Broward.
Let the competition decide not smear tactics used by unethical companies who disparage a proud people and honest business people.
March 20th, 2012 at 7:38 am
Interesting info about Waste Management’s bookeeping confusion Buddy. For years I noticed that just about every investment newsletter and magazine coming into my mailbox always featured Waste Management as a great stock to invest in.
March 20th, 2012 at 10:41 am
so funny to hear stacie ritter on the dais this morning bashing blogs, press and comments on this trash contract. wonder why she takes it so personal or bothers to read them.
March 21st, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Mob connections sure. Get the “mob wifes” in on the action. This Mafia whats left of it. Between the snitches, the FBI informants, the local police informants, etc. all socipaths. Again trash, who knew there was sooo much money in picking up people’s trash-huh Comm.Lieberman. i’m surprised you haven’t examined my trash there guys. Oh plenty of dog-shit which basiccly alot of you are……
March 21st, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Of all the publications covering these events, you are the only one who consistently got their facts right. I must have submitted 5 or 6 corrections to stories posted today that were just careless errors.
Thanks for paying attention.
May 11th, 2012 at 12:02 pm
I have known Mr. Lomangino for over twenty years. He is a cancer survivor who credits his Christianity for his business success. He is an excellent businessman whose word is his bond. His company contributes to a namber of charitable endeavors. He is one CEO who cares about his employees and their personal success. I highly recommend SWS for their expertise, quality service at economical rates. Here we have a shrewd businessman passing savings along to our community in the midst of a horrific economic downturn. Congratulations!