Houston County Commissioner raise trash pick-up rates, citizens condemn $1.25 million spent in Lange litigation

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — During their Tuesday meeting, Houston County Commissioners voted to amend an agreement with solid-waste collection company Waste Management, effectively raising trash pick-up rates for those living in the county — prices will grow for customers from $13 to $21.95. Later in the meeting, several concerned citizens rose to speak directly to the commissioners, and criticized the county’s spending of approximately $1.25 million in legal defense against a lawsuit from Houston County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Anna Lange, a transgender woman seeking gender-affirming care through insurance provided to her through the county. More below.

When the commissioners’ progress through their agenda brought them to item seven — a solid waste collection service agreement amendment — Chairman Dan Perdue invited the public to voice their opinion on the issue before a motion was made.

Houston County citizen Walt Wood stood to speak, asking that the county ensure there are “teeth” in the new contract so that quality from Waste Management is ensured.

“I think this increase is a long-time coming,” Wood said. “I can assure you that the citizens of Houston County have been getting a bargain for a long, long time. It’s time to pay the fiddler.

“We need some teeth in the contract, we need a county ordinance that tells the citizenry what they’re supposed to do and when they’re supposed to do it and we need teeth in [the contract] so we can enforce those regulations.”

Perdue explained the reasoning behind the raised rates, and what Houston County citizens can expect.

“We’re currently about to enter into year five of a five year [contract], with a possibility of a two years extension,” Perdue said. “In this renegotiation, what we’re asking Waste Management to do, what Waste Management is agreeing to do, is go ahead an execute those two optional years.

“Waste Management has already capitalized in our county, they already have trucks, and a market study would lead us to believe that if we were to go with a new provider, we’d be seeing rates in the $26 to $27 range … because we’re sticking with [Waste Management], we’re able to offer rates at $21.95.”

In addition to this contract amendment, Houston County is also ending the subsidy they formally offered to county citizens on their trash rates, bringing down trash fees county-wide by approximately $4. The money used to fund that subsidy comes from the county’s Insurance Premium Tax — instead of using those funds for the subsidy, Perdue said they’ll be used to improve Houston County’s fire service.

“Ceasing the subsidy really makes this mid-contract price adjustment seem a lot worse than it is, [and] we’re doing both of those things at the same time — that’s why the price jump is so much.”

The rise in fees, from $13 to $21.95, is a little more than a 70% increase in price.

Following the meeting, Perdue explained to The Journal that Waste Management has, in the past, been known to leave bulk waste, yard waste and recycling for multiple weeks rather than fulfilling their contractually agreed upon pick-up frequency, an issue that the chairman said the county has been very lenient on in the past — but will not be in the future.

“Faults,” or fail safes within the contract that ensure quality of services from Waste Management, will be followed through with the incoming contract amendment. These faults work by withholding payment for services provided if quality of service decreases — according to Perdue, however, “we don’t want their money — we want their service.”

The rate changes will go into effect with the first bill cycle in April.

As the commissioners completed their agenda, Perdue asked for public comments. Mercer student and activist Julian Santos, as well as several others alongside him, asked to speak.

Santos and others were at the meeting in reference to their concerns over Houston County’s ongoing litigation with Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Anna Lange, a transgender officer who has, for the last several years, worked through the courts to have her gender-affirming surgery paid for via the health insurance offered by her work with HCSO.

After being denied a pre-authorization for her surgery in 2018, Lange pursued legal recourse. In June of last year a Federal Court said that the exclusion of Lange’s surgery from the provided insurance was discriminatory; the county has since appealed the judgment.

Lange has yet to receive the care she has requested. In their defense against Lange’s lawsuit, the county has spent just under $1.25 million.

“I am here today because I am concerned,” Santos opened. “I am a member of the LGBTQ+ community and have been appalled at the county’s action regarding Sergeant Anna Lange.

“In 2019, Sergeant Lange was courageous enough to stand before this board and present her case about the county’s decision to retain a discriminatory health coverage exclusion for gender-affirming surgery, exclusions 26 and 27. Since then, the county has spent nearly $1.25 million in legal services defending a lawsuit that Sergeant Lange was forced to bring in order to get surgery that was deemed medically necessary. To put this number in perspective, Sergeant’s Lange’s surgery only costs about $25,000 and therefore could have been paid over 50 times.”

Santos referred to Judge Marc Treadwell’s decision in Lange’s 2019 lawsuit, calling the insurance exclusions discriminatory against transgender people.

“This simply does not make any sense to me. As a taxpayer, why must I contribute my money to support the county in denying Sergeant Lange coverage for her surgery? It clearly cannot be about cutting costs, when the county has shown that it will spend $1.25 million to prevent just one surgery. It clearly cannot be about policy efficiency since Anthem, the county’s insurance provider, explicitly recommended the county to remove the exclusions in the first place. There is no logical explanation that I can find besides blatant discrimination.”

Santos urged the county to “redirect future spending,” and asked that the board of commissioners refrain from participating in discriminatory decisions and actions.

“I want to be proud of the place that I call home, please help make me proud.”

Several members of the public stood to align themselves with Santos, asking that the county and board of commissioners rethink there current path and consider it’s implications. Two members of the public, including former Board of Commissioners candidate Jacqueline Rozier, also stood to argue against Santos.

The commissioners did not respond directly to Santos’ concerns. According to Perdue, it is policy that the commissioners cannot comment on ongoing litigation.

To access the agenda, video, or supporting documents for this meeting, visit the county’s website, or go to houstoncountyga.org/commissioner/meeting-minutes.cms. Commissioner meetings are typically held on the first Tuesday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the Board of Commissioners Chambers at the Perry Courthouse, or on the third Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners Chambers of the Warner Robins Court House. The Commissioners’ next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 4, at 9:30 a.m.

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