The new contract needs only final approval from the full commission. The existing contract continues to be debated behind closed doors without action.

On Monday, the Augusta Commission's engineering services committee voted unanimously to extend garbage service to southern and western sections of the city.

During the committee meeting, some commissioners expressed reservations about taking on more trash service, saying they need to work through problems with the existing contract.

"Before we go out past where we are now, these kinks need to be unkinked," Commissioner Willie Mays said. "We need to straighten out what's in the contract before we get moving."

In recent weeks, commissioners have met several times in closed-door legal sessions to talk about yanking Augusta's largest collection provider - CSRA Waste Inc. - from city routes.

CSRA Waste President Kester Uzochukwu, whose company controls more than 70 percent of city-run garbage service, stands accused of using his Richmond County landfill exemption to avoid tipping fees for his private contracts. He was arrested in November and later indicted on a felony theft of services charge, which carries a sentence of 10 years of imprisonment or probation.

"We are in discussions with all parties, including the bonding company," City Attorney Jim Wall said.

On Monday, however, some information regarding trash talks surfaced for the first time in open session, after which officials confirmed that there are ongoing negotiations between the city and several small companies trying to secure city garbage service if CSRA Waste is ousted.

Five subcontractors provide the bulk of CSRA Waste's collection service under the city's current contract. None of them is implicated in the company's alleged crimes.

Four of those subcontractors have retained a single attorney, who confirmed Monday that his clients are trying to ensure they can continue providing city garbage collection, even if it means taking over the entire city contract for CSRA Waste.

"If CSRA Waste loses the contract, then there stands a possibility that the subcontractors could no longer perform," said Wright McLeod, the attorney representing A-1 Sanitation, Metropolitan Waste, Hester Sanitation and Barry Smith Sanitation.

If the city cancels CSRA Waste's contract, the company's performance bond company - which essentially insures the city against breaches of contract by providing money in the event a hauler cannot perform - will be called in to take over operations.

The entrance of the bond company into the market poses something of a threat to the small, local companies currently carrying out most of the contract, Mr. McLeod said.

"What we would have would be city money flowing to a national corporation, instead of a situation where taxpayer dollars are going to locally owned businesses," he said.

Reach Heidi Coryell Williams at (706) 823-3215 or heidi.williams@augustachronicle.com.