Port St. Lucie Settles Waste Pro Lawsuit for $24 Million

Port St. Lucie has agreed to pay $24 million to settle a lawsuit with Waste Pro USA, its former residential trash hauler, according to a report from WPBF News — a payout that raises urgent questions about who foots the bill and whether city officials saw it coming.

The settlement, which has not yet been detailed in documents made public by the city, would rank among the largest municipal litigation payouts in St. Lucie County history According to initial reports,. The Sentinel is seeking the full settlement agreement, any related court filings, and city finance records under Florida's Public Records Law.

At the center of the dispute is the city's 2022 decision to terminate its contract with Waste Pro and transition to a new hauler, FCC Environmental Services. Waste Pro alleged the city improperly ended the agreement, triggering the lawsuit Officials said. The transition itself was marked by months of missed pickups and resident complaints that drew repeated city council attention.

What remains unanswered — and what PSL taxpayers deserve to know — is whether the $24 million hits the city's general fund directly or is covered by municipal liability insurance. The distinction is critical. A general fund hit of that scale could force cuts to city services or delay capital projects in one of Florida's fastest-growing cities. City spokesperson Officials said did not respond to Sentinel requests for comment prior to publication.

Mayor Shannon Martin and the five-member city council have not issued a public statement explaining the settlement rationale or its fiscal impact. Councilmember Jolien Caraballo, who has been the most vocal on city contracts in recent sessions According to initial reports,, did not respond to a request for comment.

The Sentinel also contacted the city's finance department to determine whether the settlement appears in the current fiscal year budget or requires a supplemental appropriation. No response was received before deadline.

This story originated from a broadcast report. Primary confirmation from city officials, court records, or the settlement document itself remains outstanding. The Sentinel will update this report as documents are obtained and sources respond.

Waste Pro USA, headquartered in Longwood, Fla., operates hauling contracts across multiple Florida municipalities. A company representative did not respond to a request for comment.

Reporters Ray Caldwell contributed to this report. Primary source calls to the Port St. Lucie City Manager's Office and St. Lucie County Clerk of Courts are pending.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.