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FROM : STEUE ANDERSON PHONE NO.': 909 e24 6514 Oct. 01 1997 12:37PM P2 <br />OCREGISTER.COM: Cities to audit trash hauler Page l of 2 <br />News <br />& Features <br />1.49 <br />Ad Products <br />& Services <br />lustomer <br />Service <br />Home <br />Feerk <br />Search <br />Help <br />Oct_ 1, 1997 <br />Cities to audit trash hauler <br />GO'V'ERNMENT: But the 3 communities <br />say they're happy with Taormina's service. <br />By CHRIS KNAP <br />The Orange County Register <br />Three small north -county cities that have 20 -year <br />trash -Mauling contracts with Taormina Industries have <br />agreed to pool their resources to pay for an independent <br />look at the Anaheim company's books. <br />City officials with Brea, Placentia and Yorba Linda said <br />they are pleased with the service provided by Taormina <br />but want to make sure they are getting their fair share of <br />receipts. <br />"It's just good business practice," said Tim O'Donnell, <br />assistant city manager of Brea, which has been <br />collecting a franchise fee of about $475,000 per year, an <br />amount which should be equal to 10 percent of <br />Taormina's gross receipts. F <br />"It's a significant amount of money in terms of the <br />franchise fee: We want to make sure we're getting our <br />fair share. It's a fiduciary duty to our ratepayers." <br />Placentia City Administrator Robert D'Amato echoed <br />those sentiments, saying, "It's. just a good business <br />practice to tape a look at costs, recyclables and <br />everything else." <br />In Yorba Linda, local activists welcomed the audit as <br />`long overdue." <br />In 1995, Taormina's contract was extended to 20 years <br />and a provision for automatic. renewal was added. <br />"Taormina snows these guys," said Lee Day, a council <br />critic. -(Council members) say they've exchanged the <br />20 -year evergreen for lower rates, but we've always <br />been among the highest (in residential trash collection <br />