First Solid Waste Status Hearing Set

First status hearing set for solid waste receiver
Guam News
Friday May 16, 2008
By Gina Tabonares, Variety News Staff

DISTRICT Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood set a July 10 status hearing yesterday to discuss the progress of solid waste management since the court appointed a receiver two months ago.

The scheduled court date will be the first status hearing that will involve Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc., the Washington, D.C.-based firm appointed by the court to handle Guam's decade-old garbage problem.

The court also gave notice to the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Office of the Attorney General but did not mention whether the presence of the governor of Guam or the elected officials and department heads that concern solid waste management are needed or required for the next status hearing.

The last court activity made in relation to the Consent Decree compliance case was the GBB officers' on-site visits to Ordot Dump and Dandan on April 24 headed by the Chief Judge.

During the said visits, Dominic Muna, Department of Public Works Solid Waste Division superintendent, briefed the receiver on the daily operations of the Ordot Dump site and the installation of the new scale.

Project Engineer Kenneth Rekdahl of Duenas, Bordallo, and Camacho & Associates discussed property boundaries with GBB Vice President Tim Bratton, Special Principal Associate David Manning, Vice President Chace Anderson and Senior Project Engineer Chris Lund.

Tor Gudmussen of TG Engineering presented maps of the Dandan site while Cynthia Jackson of DPW provided information as to the temporary and permanent access roads of the new landfill site.

The Guam solid waste receiver initially briefed the media during its first press conference held on April 25 and outlined several objectives that revolve around Consent Decree compliance.

The receiver also outlined its findings on the solid waste management crisis in Guam.