Township continues lawsuit against trash hauler

WEST BLOOMFIELD — Late last year, West Bloomfield Township filed a lawsuit against its trash hauler, Priority Waste Management, citing an alleged breach of contract.

The township began working with Priority Waste in June 2024, when the company acquired the township’s previous vendor, GFL Environmental USA.

According to Jonathan Warshay, the township supervisor, problems have since emerged.

“There were initial problems when Priority assumed the contract from GFL, like trash not being picked up, people requesting recycling bins and not receiving them, and damaged trash and recycling bins issued when residents were trying to get them replaced,” he said. “More recently, there have been billing issues with residents about late fees assessed by Priority.” 

The lawsuit is in Macomb County Circuit Court. The township wants to reinstate the “Rewards for Recycling” program, which gives residents recycling containers. The township never canceled the program, and Priority assumed the responsibility when they purchased the contract.

According to the complaint, the company failed to pay the township the $1.80 residents pay each month for the environmental service fee. The complaint states Priority is contractually required to remit this fee on a quarterly basis to the township. If it is not paid by seven days after a written notice, a late fee of 25% of that quarter’s environmental service fee will be assessed.

“Failure to pay the ESF (environmental service fee) and/or the late fee shall constitute breach of contract if not paid by the end of the quarter for which it is due,” read the complaint.

According to the court documents, Priority paid nearly $125,000 for the environmental service fee during the second quarter of 2025 but did not pay the late fees totaling nearly $31,000. During the third quarter of 2025, the remittance and late fees owed totaled nearly $155,000.

The township is also requesting monthly reports from Priority, including the quantity of collected materials, the market value of any revenue from the recyclables, and the contractor’s costs for collecting, processing or selling the recyclables, according to the complaint.

“This year, we would get emails from them saying they were unable to finish these streets,” Warshay said. “We’re assuming it was weather related, but they didn’t always tell us.”

Priority was contacted for this article but did not respond by press time. Jason Schneider, the attorney of record, was not available for comment.

Earlier this month, Vicent Hoyumpa was appointed interim CEO after Todd Stamper was ousted as CEO and board member at Priority. 

According to the complaint, Hoyumpa, who at the time was the chief of staff and general counsel for Priority, wrote a letter dated June 27, 2024, in which he stated, “Priority agrees to be bound and comply with all of the terms and conditions of said addendums.”

The township wants Priority to honor all terms of the contract, Warshay said.

“We hope that either with the court or an agreement with Priority that we can improve the service,” Warshay said.