Priority Waste separated with its founder and then-CEO Todd Stamper in February amid concerns about service in municipalities across the region.
By: Dean Vaglia | C&G Newspapers | Published April 30, 2026
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — After a long, fraught relationship between the entities, representatives from Priority Waste came before the Clinton Township Board of Trustees seeking support for an ownership change.
Rather than a rubber stamp, the waste hauler based in Clinton Township found skepticism and distrust in the face of Priority’s representatives. Priority is seeking to have investment firm TPG, which claims to have over $303 billion in assets, become its majority shareholder. Priority Waste Vice President of Municipal Relations Sam Caramagno told trustees all of the company’s shareholders agreed to TPG’s takeover, which is expected to be completed by May 1.
Trustees would spend the better part of 45 minutes airing grievances and concerns about the company’s performance since it bought out GFL’s contracts in July 2024, which has been marred with complaints about service problems and improperly maintained equipment. Trustee Dan Kress handled much of the grilling from the board, crafting the motion to require Priority to supply the township with information regarding TPG to be reviewed. Trustee Shannon King served as the motion’s support.
“I believe we should have took this out to bid in the first place to see what else out there existed,” King said. “I’m not going to beat you guys (Priority Waste) up, I think that’s been done enough, but the service is terrible. If we had to look at it as a whole, it’s just been bad, and our taxpayers deserve more than what we’ve received at this point. It’s been very hollow promises, lack of consistency. It’s just been all around bad.”
Priority separated with its founder and then-CEO Todd Stamper in February. Caramagno told trustees the situation surrounding Stamper’s separation remains “under investigation” with financial records as part of “the whole thing” that is being investigated.
Caramagno laid the blame for service issues with the company’s prior leadership, saying promises made by Stamper were unable to be fulfilled due to the finances not being available. Caramagno was adamant those promises would be met under TPG’s ownership.
“I can tell you that the messaging you were getting — this year, earlier last year, the year before — there were some false promises,” Caramagno said. “We didn’t live up to that bargain. There’s no denying that … I can tell you that the words you’ve heard in the past have been, perhaps, faulty. That change has happened in leadership two-and-a-half months ago now. That’s changed, and the next change will be this money that will come to the company and allow us to step up and provide the services that you expect, that you should expect — that we will stand by.”
County waste plan
Trustees denied giving support to the county’s updated solid waste plan, which would permit Waste Management to expand the Pine Tree Acres landfill. Trustees Kress and Julie Matuzak, along with Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem, all expressed dissatisfaction with the fact waste from Canada was filling up Pine Tree Acres and other facilities, taking up space in the landfills and requiring the expansions. This waste also contributes to the production of natural gas which Waste Management is able to profit from.
Fire Department parking lot
Trustees approved an amendment to the Fire Department budget in order to finish off the auxiliary parking lot project at Fire Station No. 4. The amendment sees $11,778 of the project’s over $324,000 budget moved into the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Prince Drewry Park equipment
Trustees approved the purchase of exercise equipment for Prince Drewry Park. The total approved cost of the project is around $64,750, which includes the full cost of the project to the township and a 10% construction contingency. Around $30,285 of the project is covered by a grant.