LAPWAI - A $140,000 lawsuit has been filed against the Lapwai city clerk by Walco, Incorporated, until recently, Lapwai's solid waste service provider since 1972.

Walco co-managers Marietta and Patrick Holman filed the suit in Second District Court Wednesday. Walco was essentially let go via fax on September 3.

In its suit, Walco accuses Lapwai City Clerk Mercedes Turner of affecting a recent bid process by showing what are supposed to be sealed bids to her son G. Aaron Keifer, who the Holmans say is running Four Feathers, a new sanitation service in Lapwai.

Turner decline to comment about the situation.

According to court documents, the Holmans are accusing Turner of racketeering, theft, and bribery, and in the suit said, "The defendant's pattern of theft and public corruption has caused the plaintiff to suffer serious financial consequences."

Walco received about $140,000 a year from the City of Lapwai.

Marietta Holman said when they received the termination fax, they didn't even know the city was accepting bids, and that their current contract was supposed to run until 2011. Holman said they may also file a tort claim against the city, but are willing to drop both suits if their current contract is upheld, or a new one is offered.

Lapwai Mayor Corky Fazio said Thursday that the city’s relationship with Walco didn't just end with a fax.

"It was when they took the cans out of town," said Fazio. "All of the garbage service, all of the residential cans, with the exception of any of the cans that are being paid for by the Nez Perce Tribe or the Nez Perce Tribal Housing Authority"

Fazio said they have talked with Four Feathers about residential garbage pick-up, and in response to Walco saying the residents will have an inexperienced service, Fazio said every business has that story in the beginning.

"It's Native-owned, and it has a Native business license," said Fazio. "The question is, how does any business start? Somebody has to start them somewhere."

Latah Sanitation has agreed to pick up refuse around the hospital and schools, while Four Feathers will take care of the residences. Fazio said the service should go uninterrupted.

"Tomorrow afternoon, we have 200 cans that we've purchased form Erb Hardware, that we're going to give to all the residents," said Fazio. "They're only a 30 gallon can, but that'll give them sufficient storage for their material."

Fazio assured residents that trash pick up would take place at the normal time on Tuesday.