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TO THE PODIUM, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR MARK AL, AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WE WHITE TO PROVIDE THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT'S FY 2025 BUDGET.PRESENTATION FLOOR IS YOURS, DIRECTOR.
UH, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF OUR FINEST 72 HOURS OF STORM DEBRIS MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND TRYING TO GET THAT OPERATION, UH, STARTED AND GOING SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF EXPEDITE DEBRIS REMOVAL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF HOUSTON.
SO, BUT, UH, UH, GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS SOME FEATURES OF, UH, SOLID WASTE OPERATING SYSTEM AND, UH, THE CORRESPONDING BUDGET.
SO IF WE CAN DIVE INTO THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE.
UH, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
REALLY JUST WANTED, UNDERSTAND EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND HOW DYNAMIC THE DEPARTMENT IS.
AND THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL, YOU'LL KIND OF HEAR ME MAKE REFERENCE OR YOU'LL SEE SOME OF OUR OPERATING SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.
THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT DELAYED ON HTV, SO JUST A MOMENT.
COLLEAGUES, YOU DO HAVE THIS PRESENTATION ON YOUR SHAREPOINT SITE.
AND AM I CONTROLLING? AM I CONTROLLING OR IS SOMEBODY OKAY.
ADVANCING? ADVANCING IT? IT'S HT V'S.
MY APOLOGIES, COLLEAGUES, I REMEMBER WATCHING THE JANUARY 6TH HEARINGS ON TV AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SINGLE GLITCH WHEN THEY SAID Q VIDEO.
I HEARD THEY HIRED LIKE A FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY.
EXCEPT FOR WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE FILM.
YES, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE WONDERFUL HTV PEOPLE.
SORRY, TAKE NO OFFENSE OUT THERE.
ABOUT LIKE FIVE PEOPLE BACK THERE.
MANY PEOPLE BACK THERE TRYING TO WORK THIS THROUGH.
DOES EVERYBODY HAVE A COPY OF IT OR EVERYONE PROVIDED YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN GO AHEAD.
DO YOU? I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD.
UM, WE'RE REALLY RUNNING BEHIND, SO GO AHEAD.
IT'S ON SHAREPOINT IF YOU HAVE YOUR LAPTOP.
IF NOT, UM, YOU SHOULD, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO YOUR STAFF.
DO I, I'LL FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE IT, I'LL DO MY BEST TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO VISUALIZE.
BUT AGAIN, UH, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FROM OUR DEPUTY DIRECTORS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE, THE CHIEF OF STAFF.
I HEARD EARLIER, SOMEBODY COMPLIMENT OUR NEWEST CHIEF OF STAFF, UM, MR. MARK ANDERSON.
UH, SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM TO HAVE SOME OF YOUR NEEDS MET AS IT RELATES TO THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
SO, AS FAR AS THE DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW GOES, I BELIEVE BY NOW, MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR FORWARD FACING, UH, SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE IN THE FIELD OF GARBAGE COLLECTION, RECYCLING COLLECTION, JUNK WASTE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD DEPOSIT DEPOSITORIES.
AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES, UH, THAT DON'T NECESSARILY MAKE THE FRONT LINES AS OFTEN, SUCH AS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP PROGRAMS, LITTER ABATEMENT PROGRAMS, NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS AND AND WHATNOT THAT ARE THERE.
UM, I TELL YOU THIS, THIS DEPARTMENT, UH, AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN IN THE FIELD OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY, I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC DEPARTMENTS, UH, THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UH, YOU, YOU'LL SEE A PIE CHART AND, AND WE HAVE ABOUT 436 EMPLOYEES LISTED HERE, OUR NUMBER.
WE WANT THAT NUMBER EVENTUALLY TO GET OVER 500 TO COMPLIMENT THE GROWTH OF THE CITY.
BUT WHAT MAKES THE CITY OF HOUSTON SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT SO UNIQUE IS THE FACT THAT ABOUT 33% OF OUR FLEET, UH, FOLKS THAT WORK ON OUR FRONT LINES AND, AND PROVIDE THE SERVICE, SO FEMALES, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY PROUD OF THAT.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU ALL, AND THE GUYS CAN GET MAD AT ME IF THEY WANT TO, BUT THEY TEND TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THE TRUCKS THAN WE DO.
SO WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT GOALS FOR THAT, FOR THE DEPARTMENT, FOR ME, FROM DAY ONE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN TO CREATE FINANCIAL STABILITY WITHIN THIS DEPARTMENT AND REDUCE THAT DRAG THAT WE CONSTANTLY PUT ON THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, WE ALSO WANT TO, UH, BE STEWARDS IN WASTE REDUCTION AND, AND OUR WASTE RECOVERY SERVICES.
SO FINDING MORE INNOVATIVE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO JUST, UH, OTHER THAN JUST THROWING WASTE AWAY IN THE LANDFILL, UH, THAT WILL COME ALONG AS, AS THAT IMPROVES, AS WE ACCOMPLISH THOSE OBJECTIVES, YOU'LL SEE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE IMPROVE, WHICH WE'LL HIGHLIGHT THAT.
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NEED TO WORK ON OUR LONG-TERM DISPOSAL, UH, CAPACITY AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO FACE IN THE FUTURE, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MANAGING OUR WASTE DISPOSAL IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER.UH, WE WANT TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIVE.
AND THEN AS YOU HEAR, MAYOR WHITMEYER ALWAYS SAY, WE WANT TO BE A GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF US LISTED SOME PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, UH, AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.
THERE'S SOME DEPARTMENT CHALLENGES THAT WE CURRENTLY FACE, MAINLY BEING THAT WITH PROGRAM FUNDING, UM, DISASTER RESPONSE AND ONGOING STORM EVENTS, WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND THEN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, ALTHOUGH YOU HEAR US TALK A LOT ABOUT THE OPERATION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE CAPITAL FACILITIES THAT HELP SUPPORT THAT OPERATION AND SERVICE DELIVERY.
AND THEN WHAT'S REALLY RISING TO THE TOP RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS CHALLENGES IS HEAVY TRASH.
WHY? BECAUSE THE CITY IS CONTINUOUSLY GROWING.
WE'RE SEEING MORE HOMES POP UP ON BLOCKS, THEREFORE WE SEE A LOT MORE WASTE BEING PUT AT THE CURVE.
UH, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES? WELL, AGAIN, YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK A LOT ABOUT REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCY ON THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, YOU ALSO HEAR THE MAYOR MENTION THAT AS WELL.
WE HAVE TO BE A, A SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
THAT BECOMES LESS DEPENDENT ON THE GENERAL FUND AND, AND, UH, MORE DEPENDENT ON THE REVENUES THAT IT CAN GENERATE FROM THE USERS OF THE SYSTEM.
UH, ONCE WE GET THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO RIGHTSIZE OUR LABOR AND EQUIPMENT.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GET THINGS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE, UH, APPRECIATED ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE RECENTLY ADDRESSED IN, UH, DIVERSIFYING OUR YARD WASTE SERVICES, UH, AND HOW YARD WASTE CAN BE PLACED AT THE CURVE.
AND THEN, UH, AGAIN, CAPITAL FUNDING.
AND, AND YOU MAY HEAR IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, AN ON CALL HEAVY TRASH PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER.
UH, AS FAR AS OUR STRATEGIC GUIDANCE GOES, OUR, OUR ALIGNMENT WITH THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVES GOES, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT'S GONNA BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE A GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS.
SO THEREFORE YOU'LL SEE US WORKING ON OUR ADMINISTRATIVE CODES, TRYING TO UPDATE THOSE CODES, BRING THEM UP TO THE CURRENT CENTURY STANDARDS, REALLY KIND OF ENHANCING OUR COMMUNICATIONS, UH, WORKING ON IMPROVING OUR TIMELY SERVICE DELIVERY.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE KNOWN AS, UH, A DEPARTMENT THAT THAT CAN ABIDE AND UPHOLD WORLD-CLASS STANDARDS IN SERVICE DELIVERY.
AND THEN ALSO WORKING TO ADDRESS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA TURN THE, THE PRESENTATION OVER TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WEALTHIER WHITE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURES BY PROGRAM.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT'S PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET FOR ALL ITS PROGRAM IS $107 MILLION.
UH, BY THE END OF THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 2024, WE ARE ESTIMATING EXPENDITURES AT $112 MILLION, WHICH IS A DIFFERENCE OF $4.8 MILLION.
UH, IT'S A DECREASE TO MEET OUR TARGET.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR REVENUES BY PROGRAMS. SOLID WASTE IS REVENUES REMAIN FLAT AT 15 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
PROPOSED REVENUES ARE COM COMPRISED OF DUMPSTER PERMITS, ATAN PROGRAM, NON-RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE AND EXTRA CAPACITY CONTAINERS AS WELL.
AND THE CONTAINER LEASE FEE, AS WELL AS OTHER MISCELLANEOUS FEES SUCH AS DEAD ANIMAL PICKUP, SALE OF SCRAP METAL, OUR BUSINESS RECYCLE PROGRAM, AS AN EXAMPLE.
AND THEN WE GET INTO OUR PROGRAMS. YEAH, OUR PROGRAMS, UM, AND I'M GONNA KIND OF FLY THROUGH SOME OF THEM 'CAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
BUT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, UH, MAINLY FOCUS ON EVERYTHING THAT WE RELY ON TO SUPPORT OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AND THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, OUR, OUR CONTAINER LEASE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IS ONE THAT I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE THAT'S AN, I THAT'S AN AREA THAT IF WE DON'T WATCH OR REALLY CONTROL, WE CAN FIND OURSELVES REALLY WASTING, UH, EXPENSES IN THAT AREA, NOT GETTING THE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
SO WE HAVE CONDUCTED, OR WE ACTUALLY WERE PART OF AN AUDIT LAST YEAR, AND THE AUDIT HIGHLIGHTED SOME AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE UPON.
UH, ONE BEING IS, UH, TRACKING THE CONTAINERS AND KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE OUT IN THE FIELD.
SO WE'LL BE SEEKING SOME INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND FINDING THE BEST FIT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AS TIME GOES ON.
SO, UM, AND WE'RE ALSO NOTICING THAT, UH, ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A RATE FOR SMALL QUANTITY GENERATORS, SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, SOME OF OUR AUDITS, UH, HAVE, HAVE PRODUCED, UH, RESULTS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, THOSE, UH, INVOICES OR THAT SERVICE
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IS BEING PROVIDED AS WELL AS BEING PAID FOR ACCORDINGLY.UH, CURBSIDE RECYCLING, UH, OF COURSE OUR MOST FORWARD, ONE OF OUR FORWARD FACING, UH, SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
A LOT OF YOU HAVE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS THAT, UH, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SEEING AN UPTICK IN THE SERVICE DELIVERY.
UH, AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, GARBAGE AND RECYCLING SOMETIMES ARE NOW BEING PICKED UP ON THE SAME DAY.
THERE IS A REAL REASON FOR THAT THAT WE'LL GET INTO IN A LITTLE BIT LATER ON DURING THE PROGRAM OR DURING THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL MAINTENANCE.
WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF WHAT WE DO.
SO WITH THAT, UH, SUPPORT THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA NEED TO, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROPERLY MAINTAINING AND KEEPING THE ENVIRONMENT CLEAN, THE GROUND HYDRAULICS AND OTHER CHEMICALS AND SOLVENTS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, OUR HEAVY TRASH COLLECTION PROGRAM, UH, IS ONE THAT, UH, WE'LL BE LOOKING TO FORWARD TO MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UH, AS TIME GOES ON, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN WITH THAT.
UH, THE REASON BEING IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SHOWING SOME UPTICKS AND TRENDS, WHAT WE ARE FINDING OUT IS THAT WE'RE STILL KIND OF UNDERSTAFFED AND, AND UNDER BUDGET IN THAT AREA OF OUR OPERATIONS.
I BELIEVE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME FOLKS HAD THE, THE UNFORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE DELAYED HEAVY TRASH COLLECTIONS LAST MONTH.
THAT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS AN, AN ADJUSTMENT IN THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAD A YEAR AGO THIS TIME.
WE ACTUALLY HAD ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM SOME OF OUR CONTRACTORS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, LOCAL CONTRACTORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE DID NOT HAVE THAT THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, I KNOW OUR TEAM FELT THE IMPACTS OF THAT RUNNING UP TO TWO WEEKS BEHIND, UH, INTENDED SERVICE DELIVERY DATES, WHICH MEANS ALSO THE RESIDENT FELT THAT AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW TO WORK ON IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT, AND THAT ALSO GOES ALONG WITH THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT, THAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE ARE SEEING POSITIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, I, I THINK WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UH, WE'RE GETTING VERY CREATIVE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'VE SEEN, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN TERING, ILLEGAL DUMPING IN SOME OF THE AREAS, UH, THAT WE COMMONLY VISIT.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY WANT TO IMPLEMENT MORE OF THOSE STRATEGIES SUCH AS PLACING CAMERAS OUT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND PUTTING UP OTHER METHODS OR INCORPORATING OTHER METHOD METHODS TO DETER, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, OUR RESIDENTIAL DROP OFF COLLECTION PROGRAM, UH, ONE, AGAIN, IT'S AN AREA THAT'S GONNA NEED A LOT OF WORK.
OF COURSE, THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT THAT WE GET ON THAT PROGRAM IS THAT THEY, THE LONG WAIT LINES AND, UM, THAT CAUSES, WE BELIEVE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO ILLEGAL DUMPING AT TIMES BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO WAIT IN LINE, AN HOUR IN LINE JUST TO THROW SOMETHING AWAY.
BUT THE ONE ENHANCEMENT THAT WE ARE MAKING TO OUR RESIDENTIAL DROP OFF PROGRAMS IS WE ARE MODIFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OR THE PREREQUISITES TO USE IT.
UM, RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT EVERYONE MAY NOT HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE ARE REQUESTING.
SO WE HEAR EVERYONE LOUD AND CLEARLY.
SO WE'RE RELAXING OUR STANCE ON THAT IN HOPES THAT IT CAN ALSO REDUCE THE ILLEGAL DUMP IN THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
UH, RESIDENTIAL WASTE COLLECTION, WE ALWAYS TEND TO PRIORITIZE THAT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, OFTEN YOU MAY HEAR A COUPLE OF ONE-OFF COMPLAINTS AND, AND WHATNOT, AND THAT COMES ALONG WITH THE TERRITORY.
BUT, UH, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE OUR PRIORITY.
SO, UH, IT'S EACH DAY AT THE SERVICE CENTERS, THEY WILL MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE GARBAGE IS COLLECTED BY THE END OF THE DAY, ALWAYS, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE HEALTH REASONS, AND, UH, TO MITIGATE THOSE, THOSE CHALLENGES THAT MAY POP UP.
UH, SPONSORSHIPS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE THAT I, I BELIEVE THAT WE AS AN ADMINISTRATION AND, AND WITH THE COUNCIL'S HELP, WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE TO ADDRESS THE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM IS, UM, I BELIEVE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM MIGHT ALMOST BE OLDER THAN ME.
YOU KNOW, SO, UH, SO WE, WE, YEAH, WE RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT WE, THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE USE OF FUNDING IN THAT PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE SERVICE DELIVERY, UH, IN THERE.
AND IT IS HOVERING AROUND, YOU KNOW, 3 MILLION TO SOMETIMES 4 MILLION DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
WE SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT, UH, YOU HEARD ME SPEAK EARLIER ABOUT YARD WASTE AND DIVERSIFYING THE SERVICES.
YARD WASTE, I WOULD SAY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE CHALLENGING, UM, AREAS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS BECAUSE THE PARTICIPATION EBBS AND FLOWS BASED ON THE, THE YEAR AND THE SEASONS THAT WE'RE IN.
UH, WHEN WE'RE IN THE PEAK SEASON FOR YARD WASTE, WE DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC IN MAKING SURE THAT WE, UH, KIND OF ADDRESS THE AREAS THAT, THAT ARE PRONE TO PUT OUT MORE YARD WASTE THAN, THAN IF, UH, THAN AREAS THAT MAY NOT BE AS CANOPIED AS OTHER AREAS.
SO WE'LL BE, UM, WE'LL BE DEFINITELY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT CREATIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE THAT LINE OF SERVICE.
WE'VE TAKEN A, A GOOD STEP IN NOT BY REDUCING THE REQUIREMENTS
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OR, OR MODIFYING THE REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.SO RESIDENTS NO LONGER ARE REQUIRED TO GO AND, UH, PURCHASE THAT SPECIALLY MARKED BAG.
UH, WE JUST ASK THAT THEY, THEY GET A COMPOSTABLE BAG, OR NOW USE YOUR OWN CONTAINERS, UH, OR IF YOU HAVE LIMBS AND TWIGS, BE SURE TO TIE THEM UP, BUNDLE AND TIE THEM UP AND KEEP THEM UNDER 50 POUNDS.
UH, OUR DEBT SERVICES AND TRANSFERS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DON'T ACCRUE THAT MUCH DEBT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH STUFF.
SO WE'RE, AGAIN, WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
UH, WEALTHY, YOU WANT TO TELL 'EM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PERSONNEL? YES.
OUR PERSONNEL VERSUS NONE PERSONNEL FOR SOLID WASTE HAS THREE FUNDS.
UH, GENERAL FUND RECYCLING REVENUE FUND, AND THE CONTAINER LEASE FUND, AND THE PERSONNEL MAKES UP FOR THE GENERAL FUND, 39% WITH THE BALANCE BEING 61% FOR, FOR NONE PERSONNEL AND FOR RECYCLING REVENUE.
UH, THE PERSONNEL IS SMALL, 12%, AND THE BALANCE IS 88%.
AND FOR OUR CONTAINER LEASE FUND, UH, PERSONNEL IS 18%, AND OTHER NON-PERSONNEL IS 82%, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AGAIN, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR EXPEND TOURS THIS TIME BY FUND AS OPPOSED TO PROGRAM.
UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE THE, THE THREE FUNDS, GENERAL FUND RECYCLING AND CONTAINER LEASE.
AND WE ARE AT $107 MILLION FOR ALL THREE FUNDS, UH, WITH THE GENERAL FUND BEING 99 MILLION, UH, RECYCLING REVENUE, 3.2 MILLION, AND THEN OUR CONTAINER LEASE AT 4.9.
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AGAIN AT OUR REVENUES BY FUND.
UM, ACTUALLY HERE WITH OUR REVENUES BEING FLAT, WE ACTUALLY HAD A GOOD, UH, COMMODITIES MARKET.
WE SELL RECYCLABLES FOR OUR, UH, RECYCLING REVENUE FUND.
AND JUST SO HAPPENED IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, WE HAD A GOOD YEAR WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO A TRANSFER FROM OUR GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT OUR RECYCLING REVENUE FUND.
UH, WE ALWAYS SET ASIDE ENOUGH JUST IN CASE, BECAUSE THE COMMODITIES MARKET FLUCTUATES, BUT OUR REVENUES GOING FORWARD FOR THIS YEAR AND FOR THE PROPOSED 2025 IS AT 15 MILLION.
AND, UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT.
I, I DID WANT TO KIND OF REITERATE THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE RECYCLING COMMODITIES MARKET, IT'S VERY HARD TO HEDGE A BET ON, YOU KNOW, AND 2023 WAS GOOD TO US.
UH, WE'RE NOT SEEING THE SAME RETURN, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THING THINGS PAN OUT TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR IN THE RECYCLING COMMODITIES MARKET.
UH, I DID JUST WANT TO GO OVER, UH, A FEW MORE, UH, AREAS OF THE OPERATIONS, UH, THAT WE'LL NEED, UH, DEFINITELY WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO.
ONE WOULD BE OUR CAPITAL CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.
AND YOU'LL SEE IN THIS PRESENTATION, UH, WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY BUILDING A NEW TRANSFER STATION RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, RIGHT? UH, BECAUSE THIS ACTUALLY AC COMP, UH, COMPLIMENTS, UH, THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING OVER IN NORTHEAST AREA OF THE CITY.
UM, UH, THE, THE BAD PART ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE A TRANSFER STATION, UH, ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE CITY THAT'S CURRENTLY CONDEMNED.
AND, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM A, A NEED OF 15 TO POSSIBLY $20 MILLION TO ACTUALLY GET THAT TRANSFER STATION OPERABLE, WHICH IN TURN WILL, UH, UH, IMPROVE OUR ON TIME SERVICE DELIVERY RATE.
UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL AGING FACILITIES, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN SOME OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS DOWN THERE, NEED FOR ROOFING, UH, BATHROOM REBUILDS.
AND WE ARE ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE, UH, AREAS AS WE SPEAK.
I BELIEVE OUR NORTH, OUR SOUTHEAST AREA, IS SCHEDULED TO HAVE A LOT OF WORK DONE ON THE PLUMBING AND THE BATHROOM AND WHATNOT.
UH, YOU HEARD ME TALK EARLIER ABOUT CART IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR INVENTORY.
UH, WE'RE NOT JUST KIND OF SAYING THIS JUST TO SAY IT, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY REORGANIZING OUR DEPARTMENT OR OUR REPORTING PROCESSES AND OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO HELP IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR CART PROGRAM.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, THOSE 50 AND $60 CARTS CAN ADD UP AND, AND REALLY, UH, TURN OUT TO BE COSTLY.
SO, UH, AND WE'RE NOT ONLY MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR CART INVENTORY MANAGEMENT, BUT ALSO, UH, WE HAVE A NEED TO INCREASE THE STAFFING ON OUR OPERATIONS SIDE.
SO WHAT I'VE BEEN CHALLENGING OUR, OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO DO IS REALLY LOOK ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
LET'S REALLY EVALUATE WHAT POSITIONS WE NEED OR ARE NOT USING, AND, UH, MOVE THOSE POSITIONS OVER TO OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
AND SINCE TAKING ON THAT INITIATIVE, WE'VE CREATED AT LEAST FIVE OR
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SIX NEW, UH, DRIVING POSITIONS ON THE OPERATION SIDE OF THE HOUSE.SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT IF WE CAN, UH, KEEP SEARCHING OUR DEPARTMENT, KIND OF DO THESE SELF-AUDITING PRACTICES THAT WE CAN FIND WAYS TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE THE SERVICES AND GET UP TO THAT PLUS 500, UH, TOTAL THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE AT FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, NOW, AGAIN, ON TIME SERVICE DELIVERY RATES, THERE'S A REASON THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.
THERE'S A REASON THAT IT'S IMPROVING.
UH, THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO, TO KIND OF EXPLAIN IT OR, OR TO GET YOU TO VISUALIZE IT, IS IMAGINE ALL OF US PLAYING ON THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS UNDER BILL BELICHICK AND TOM BRADY.
WE'RE ALL GONNA GET A SUPER BOWL RING, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU GOT THE MAJOR PIECES IN PLACE.
OUR VACANCY RATE WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED HERE HOVERED AROUND 26%.
THAT EQUATED TO BE ABOUT 60 TO 70 DRIVERS.
VERY HARD TO RUN A SERVICE, STRESSED OUT EMPLOYEES, LOT OF FRUSTRATIONS AND WHATNOT.
I KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO WHEN I SIGNED UP FOR THE JOB TODAY, THANKS TO THE HELP OF HR AND OUR TEAM MEMBERS IN THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT.
OUR VACANCY RATE HUB IS AROUND 70 OR 7%, I'M SORRY, 7%, 6% OR 7%.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE APPLICATIONS, UH, TO GO THROUGH THAN WE HAVE JOBS AVAILABLE.
THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE, BUT WE STILL HAVE NOT MADE IT YET.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE STILL HAVE MORE ROOM TO GO.
SO IF I'VE GOT THE EMPLOYEES ON BOARD, AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR VEHICLE AVAILABILITY, UH, THAT YOU SEE WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY RECEIVED ABOUT 89 VEHICLES THIS YEAR.
THESE ARE BRAND NEW VEHICLES THAT WE RECEIVED.
UH, THE TWO GREATEST ASSETS OF ANY ORGANIZATION, I ALWAYS SAY IN THIS INDUSTRY, ARE GONNA BE EMPLOYEES AND EQUIPMENT.
SO ONCE YOU ALL MADE THAT AVAILABLE TO US, OH, THE REST WAS EASY.
YOU KNOW, Y'ALL GONNA HAVE TO COME GET ME FROM THE SPA BECAUSE NOW WE'VE INCREASED OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
SO WHEN YOU HEAR MAYOR WHITMEYER SAYING THAT HIS NEIGHBORS WERE HIGH FIVING THEM BECAUSE THE GARBAGE AND RECYCLING WERE COLLECTED ON TIME, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR IT, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING THOSE RESOURCES IN PLACE.
NOW, IF WE'RE DOING, IF WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE KIND OF IMPROVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS, JUST BY ADDING THOSE, AND, AND I'LL, I'LL ADMIT WE'VE KIND OF SWITCHED UP THE WAY WE MANAGE OUR LEADERSHIP, WE'VE ENHANCED THAT AS WELL.
WE WANT TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE, UH, CAN COME TO WORK AND ENJOY THAT, AND THEN BE ABLE TO HAVE TIMES WITH THEIR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, ENJOY THE TIMES WITH THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL.
UH, SO WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE TWO GREATEST ASSETS IN PLACE, AS YOU COULD SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT, THAT A LOT OF YOU, UH, CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR AREA MAY BE SEEING.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN JANUARY, JUST A QUICK SYNOPSIS WHERE SOME OF THE ON TIME, UH, SERVICE DELIVERY HOVERED, YOU KNOW, AROUND 59% OR LOWER.
AND TODAY WE'RE HOVERING IN AT THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE CENTER, UH, MAY BE AROUND 82%.
AND, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN, IT'S HIT 90% AT TIMES.
SO THAT IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE.
WHEN I GO INTO THE SERVICE CENTERS ON WEDNESDAYS, AND SOMETIMES ON SATURDAYS, I'M LOOKING FOR A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT THERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE, THE NEED IS NOT THERE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE ON THAT, THAT, UH, THAT TRAJECTORY.
AND AGAIN, COMBINING ALL OF THOSE FOR THE LAST SLIDE, YOU NOTICE A DECREASE IN OVERTIME, 18% DECREASE IN OVERTIME, THAT MEANS THE QUALITY OF WORK LIFE BALANCE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IS IMPROVING.
NOW, I REMEMBER A WHILE AGO, GUY TOLD ME, HE SAID, MAN, MARK, WHENEVER YOU PRESENT, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THE FIVE BS.
I SAID, WELL, WHAT'S THAT? HE SAID, BE BRIEF, BROTHER, BE BRIEF.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION,
BUT HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MAY HAVE.
I KNOW, I, I KIND OF ED THROUGH SOME OF THAT.
I, I AM A BIG FAN AND YOU GAVE US A LOT OF REALLY GOOD NEWS.
I OF COURSE, HIGHLIGHTED, UM, IN MY QUESTIONS, THE, UM, THE DECREASE IN OVERTIME FROM 2.8 MILLION TO 2.1 MILLION.
UM, I'LL GO TO MY COLLEAGUES FIRST.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS AFTER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRIEF PRESENTATION, BUT
UM, JUST CURIOUS AND UNDER SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES MM-HMM
DO YOU HAVE A FEEL FOR WHAT YOUR NUMBER IS ON, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON CLEANUPS? AND, AND TYPICALLY, UH, HAVE I, I LOOKED IN THE NUMBERS AND COULDN'T SEE THE BREAKDOWN MM-HMM
BUT IS IT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT UP? IS IT DOWN? WHAT ARE, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT'S THAT LOOK LIKE? KINDA AS, AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE BUDGET FOR IT SPECIFICALLY? UM, I WOULD SAY WE HOVER ANYWHERE BETWEEN 500 AND 700,000 PER YEAR.
UH, THE REASON BEING IS THAT WE REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE IN THERE.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, HIGHLIGHT MS. CYNTHIA BAILEY FOR THE WORK THAT SHE DOES IN THAT PROGRAM.
UH, SHE, WHEN I ARRIVED, SHE WAS ACTUALLY A TEMPORARY SUPERVISOR, AND, UH, WE SAW THE SKILLS AND VALUES THAT SHE CAN ADD TO THE DEPARTMENT.
AND SHE'S OUR PERMANENT SUPERVISOR
[00:25:01]
NOW.SHE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGING PROBABLY ABOUT 10 TO 15 TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.
SO A MAJORITY OF OUR EXPENSES IN THERE WILL COME FROM TEMPORARY LABOR THAT'S USED TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE EQUIPMENT IS, IS PROBABLY WORTH ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND, IF SO.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND ALSO STAFF MARY MORENO FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TART JACKSON'S OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
UH, IT'S A GREAT PRESENTATION.
UH, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF RECYCLING THAT WE DO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? WHAT'S OUR PERCENTAGE? OUR PERCENTAGE IS GONNA PROBABLY HOVER AROUND IN THE TWENTIES.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT IT TO BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
I KNOW OUR CONTAMINATION RATE ACTUALLY REDUCED A LITTLE BIT.
BELIEVE TODAY IT'S AT ABOUT 38 OR 37%, AND WE CAN, WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT.
DO YOU THINK THAT IF WE COULD INCREASE THAT NUMBER, HOW, CAN YOU JUST KIND OF JUST TWO POINTS OF HOW, HOW WOULD THE CITY BENEFIT BETTER? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY OUR LANDFILLS WOULD BE GREATER, BUT MM-HMM
FROM YOUR, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT OTHER IMPROVEMENTS WOULD THAT BE? UM, IT WOULD, AGAIN, EMPLOYEES AND EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, SO IT, IT COMES ALONG WITH RIGHTSIZING, BUT, UM, I THINK, WE'LL, THE, IT'LL EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE LANDFILL.
YOU KNOW, SO, WE'LL, WE'LL SAVE IN THAT AREA, BUT WE, WE'VE GOTTA REALLY IMPROVE OUR MARKETING AND OUTREACH IN THAT AREA, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK WITH US MAYBE BUILDING MORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE ON TIME, WE'LL START TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS KIND OF CREEP UP AND THAT PARTICIPATION RATE GET EVEN HIGHER IN THE FUTURE.
I'LL JUST, THERE'S ONE, I THINK IT'S SEATTLE, I THINK, AND, UM, THEY ACTUALLY, THEY ACTUALLY PENALIZE YOU FOR NOT RECYCLING, RIGHT?
YOU HEARD, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT? I, I THINK I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M, I WAS AFRAID IF I BROUGHT THAT HERE, THEY MIGHT PUT ME ON ROLLER SKATES.
I, I SAY I'M JUST, I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING LIKE, THEY ACTUALLY, THEY ACTUALLY PENALIZE CONSTITUENTS FOR NOT RECYCLING.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WHICH IS A POSSIBLE REVENUE STREAM,
WE, UM, I, I WILL SAY THIS ABOUT RECYCLING AND, AND REALLY WASTE DIVERSION.
WE ARE GETTING MORE, UH, INTERESTED IN THE SPACE OF COMPOSTING.
AND IN FACT, THIS FRIDAY, I, I JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY, WE HAVE A, A, UH, CONSULTANT THAT WILL BE IN TOWN THIS FRIDAY WITH A COMPOSTING MACHINE THAT CREATES COMPOST IN 24 HOURS OR SOMETHING.
SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE TO SEE THESE THINGS TO, TO BELIEVE IT.
SO HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE BRINGING THE PRODUCT THROUGH.
UM, AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE IF IT HAS ANY, ANY PROMISES IN IT.
UH, ALSO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS.
UH, THE, THE ADVANCEMENTS IN RECYCLING RIGHT NOW, UH, EXXONMOBIL, UH, HOUSTON RECYCLING COALITION, UH, FCC AND WHATNOT, FINDING MORE INNOVATIVE WAYS TO REPURPOSE PLASTICS INSTEAD OF JUST THROWING THEM IN THE LANDFILL WILL ALSO ADD VALUE TO OUR RECYCLING PROGRAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER CHAIR.
YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE CONDEMNED TRANSFER STATION.
WOULD THAT ALSO REDUCE YOUR COSTS, IF THAT WAS BACK UP? YES.
IT, IT WOULD, UM, WHEN THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S AN AGING FACILITY, RIGHT? AND, UM, I, I THINK THE CITY REALLY GOT THE, THE, AS MUCH USEFUL LIFE OUT OF IT AS THEY CAN.
BUT WHEN THAT TRANSFER STATION WENT DOWN, WE TOOK A TRIPLE HIT.
YOU KNOW, OUR TRUCKS HAD TO DRIVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO GO DISPOSE.
SO NOW WE'RE INCURRING MORE OPERATIONAL COSTS.
UM, THE, THE CITY ALSO, WITH ALL THE TRANSFER STATIONS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR THAT OPERATES IT, WE GET A PORTION OF, UH, REVENUE GENERATED FROM ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY WHO USES THAT.
SO WE LOST THAT STREAM AS WELL, YOU KNOW.
AND THEN, UM, OF COURSE, THE IN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE INCREASED, UH, EXPENSES OVER TIME AND AND WHATNOT FOR THAT AREA.
ANY IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF A DOLLAR FIGURE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT IF THAT WAS FULLY OPERATIONAL, YOU'D SAVE? YEAH, WE ARE, WE'RE CONSTRUCTING ONE RIGHT NOW ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN.
IT'S ACTUALLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UH, I BELIEVE THEY WERE TRYING TO FINISH EITHER IN THE, THE FIRST OR SECOND QUARTER OF, OF, UH, OF THE NEXT YEAR.
UH, THAT ONE'S HOVERING AROUND 11.8 MILLION, AND THAT'S A SMALLER FOOTPRINT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SQUEEZE THAT TRANSFER STATION IN.
SO I, I WOULD SAY THE GOING RATE FOR TRANSFER STATION NOW, 'CAUSE YOU WANT TO BUILD IT SO THAT IT, IT CAN ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THAT AREA.
YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT BETWEEN 15 TO $20 MILLION, I ASSUME, WITH THE ADDITIONAL MILES.
THAT ALSO PUTS A HIT ON YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY OF YOUR VEHICLES.
WHAT IS LIFE EXPECTANCY OF? UH, TYPICALLY WE LIKE TO KEEP 'EM FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE NOTICE THE MAINTENANCE TENDS TO PEAK RIGHT AROUND THREE AND A HALF, HALF TO FOUR YEAR MARK.
AND IT, IT USUALLY TAKES ABOUT 180 DAYS TO ORDER A NEW VEHICLE, A GARBAGE TRUCK, SINCE YOU DON'T EVER SEE ANY ON THE CAR LOTS, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, YOU, YOU REALLY WANNA START GETTING READY TO REPLACE 'EM ANYWHERE BETWEEN THAT FIVE AND SEVEN YEAR MARK.
AND I KNOW YOU AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD DROPOFF CENTERS MM-HMM
[00:30:01]
THE DOCUMENTATION.I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU TURN AWAY MM-HMM
ARE ENDED UP DUMPING THE STUFF AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND PICK IT EXACTLY.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
I DON'T WANNA ADVERTISE THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING TO GET EVERYBODY ELSE'S STUFF, BUT IF THEY SHOW UP, RIGHT, TAKE IT.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED FROM US TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, OR ARE YOU JUST GOING FORWARD IT, UH, JUST CON THE CONTINUED SUPPORT? YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH EVERYONE.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DEALING WITH SMALL FOOTPRINTS ON THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD DROP OFF FACILITIES, AGAIN, WE'RE KIND OF GETTING CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE, TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF OUR, OUR RESOURCES, FOR INSTANCE.
UH, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE ROLL OFF BOXES THERE, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME WHERE LOTS OF FOLKS ARE GENERATING STORM DEBRIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING IN 18 WHEELERS IN THERE TO INCREASE OUR, OUR CAPACITY AND BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE FACILITY IN A REASONABLE TIME.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE IN A PRETTY GOOD PLACE WITH DRIVERS.
NO, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT, UM,
BUT WE, WE STILL, WE'RE STILL PROBABLY ABOUT 35 OFF FROM WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO BE, YOU KNOW? UH, IF WE GET 50, I MIGHT ELIMINATE MY JOB
AND, AND AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'LL GET AS CREATIVE AS WE CAN BE, UH, REPURPOSING POSITIONS, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST COMING BACK TO THE CITY AND SAY, WE NEED MORE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, BROTHER.
IN OUR LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD MM-HMM
AND TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE VERY ISSUES THAT YOU, GREAT PRESENTATION.
UH, TODAY, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRON THING.
JUST WANTED TO BRING OUT A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT.
WAS THE, UM, HEAVY PICKUP MM-HMM
HEAVY TRASH COLLECTION, AND YOU MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT AREA, OF COURSE, THERE ARE MORE HOUSES BEING BUILT.
AND SO MY COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS NATURALLY IS GOING TO INCREASE MM-HMM
THE NEED FOR THE HEAVY PICKUP, UM, LIVING IN AREAS AS I DO, AND OUR CHURCH, MY CHURCH IN ONE, A LOT OF HEAVY TRASH PICKUPS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMERTIME.
YOU KNOW, THE HEAVY TRASH PICKUP AND THE DUMPING IS OUR, IS OUR CERTAINLY INTEREST.
MANY AREAS OF OUR CITY DON'T GET THAT.
SOME OF THESE DISTRICT COUNCIL PEOPLE DON'T GET THAT ISSUE OF THE DUMPING, UH, AND THE, AND THE OVERALL HEAVY TRASH PICKUP.
SO HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND YOU'RE DOING IT BIMONTHLY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO WITH THAT, WITH ALL THOSE ISSUES UNDER CONSIDERATION MM-HMM
HAD THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT BEING MORE THAN THAT, OR AN ALTERNATE DAY AS AN ADD-ON RIGHT.
TO THAT? UM, NOT, NOT REALLY IN THAT SPACE.
UM, IF YOU, IF THERE'S ONE THING, UM, THAT I COULD EQUATE DUMPING OR HEAVY TRASH COLLECTION TO IS MONEY.
WE ALWAYS WANT MORE, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO HEAVY TRASH, THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU CREATE, UH, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THE EXPENSE THAT IT'S GONNA CREATE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO WHAT I WOULD SAY WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON IS MORE LIKE ACCOUNTABILITY AND REALLY, UM, PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC THAT ALLOWS THEM TO, IF YOU GENERATE SOMETHING, KNOWING THAT YOU CAN HAVE THAT PROPERLY DISPOSED OF WITHOUT ANY PENALTIES, WITHOUT ANY, ANY SORT OF COMBINATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT ACTUALLY KIND OF REDUCE THAT, THAT STRAIN THAT WE'RE PUTTING ON THE CITY SERVICES RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY IN THE HEAVY TRASH PROGRAM, UH, EACH SERVICE CENTER WOULD PROBABLY NEED, WELL, WE KNOW THAT FOR A FACT, THEY WOULD NEED AT LEAST FIVE MORE CREWS, RIGHT.
UH, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AN ON TIME SERVICE DELIVERY.
WOULD, WOULD THAT ALSO, WOULD THAT ALSO INDICATE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT THAT PICKS UP THE CORRECT, YES.
THAT, THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE EQUIPMENT, THE TRUCKS TO HAUL WITH AND WHATNOT.
THAT'S IF WE MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT STANDARD OF SERVICE DELIVERY.
UH, BUT, BUT THERE'S ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO, UM, CALL TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT HEAVY TRASH, YOU DRIVE DOWN A BLOCK, EVERY HOUSE DOESN'T PUT IT OUT.
IN FACT, IT'S PROBABLY SOMETIMES ABOUT A 10% SET OUT RATE.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT'S PEAKING OUR INTEREST IN EXPLORING SOME OTHER, UH, ALTERNATIVES TO JUST COMING AND SENDING A FLEET OF TRUCKS UP AND DOWN EVERY ROAD ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU
[00:35:01]
IN, IN MY OFFICE, NOT NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THAT TO COME OUT AND, AND TALK WITH SOME OF YOUR FOLKS.AND VIEW YOUR OPERATIONS OUT IN THE NORTHWEST SIDE.
I KNOW YOU AND, AND ALL OF YOUR, YOUR FOLKS OUT THERE IN SOLID WASTE, UH, WORK VERY, VERY HARD.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE MEN AND WOMEN.
YOU KNOW, THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, MAN, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY WORK HARD.
THEY, THEY REALLY AFFORD ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SIT HERE BEFORE YOU AND SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF.
SO I DEFINITELY WANNA SEND A SHOUT OUT AND RECOGNIZE EVERYONE FROM, FROM OUR NEWEST DRIVER ALL THE WAY UP TO ABEL WHO PUT THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER, WEALTHIER AND THE FINANCE TEAM.
HAVE YOU PUT A, UM, A NUMBER ON, IF WE STOPPED THE ILLEGAL DUMPING PIECE MM-HMM
WHAT WOULD THAT, HOW WOULD THAT FINANCIALLY BENEFIT THE CITY? OH, AS FAR AS SAVINGS? MM-HMM
LIKE, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AT ALL, RIGHT.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? 10 MILLION EASILY.
UH, 'CAUSE YOU GOTTA FIGURE THAT'S LESS EMPLOYEES, UH, LESS EQUIPMENT THAT YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT.
SO I, I WOULD SAY ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO 10 MILLION RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, YOU'RE OKAY.
YOU'VE GOT SEVEN BUCKETS OF EXPENSES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REDUCE.
HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO REDUCE THOSE EXPENSES? UM, WE'RE, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A GOOD STAB AT IT, RIGHT? WE, UM, AND IN SOME AREAS WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR, RIGHT.
AND LARGE PART OF IT IS BECAUSE OF OUR, UH, REDUCTION IN VACANCY RATE AND THE IMPROVEMENT IN EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, ADDING 89 VEHICLES TO THE FLEET CAN, CAN REALLY MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A ROCKSTAR.
RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE'S A COUPLE OF, OF ITEMS, ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE YOU'RE LOOKING TO REDUCE BY 18%.
I MEAN, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG YEAH, IT'S A PRETTY BIG NUMBER.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, KINDA WHERE THE FAT IS IN THE DEPARTMENT AND, AND SEE IF WE COULD REPURPOSE THAT.
RIGHT? SO, ALTHOUGH WE MAY, WE, WE MAY EXPERIENCE SOME SUCCESS ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, UH, REMEMBER WE'RE REALLY NOT IN THE, IN POSITION RIGHT NOW TO ELIMINATE POSITIONS.
I WOULD EASILY TRANSFER THAT OVER TO THE OPERATIONS SIDE TO REDUCE THAT DEFICIT THAT WE HAVE.
SAME THING FOR THE CURBSIDE RECYCLING.
IS THAT ALL THROUGH OVERTIME? CURBSIDE RECYCLING? THE MAJORITY OF THAT WOULD BE THROUGH OVERTIME.
SO IF WE CAN CONTINUE THAT TREND, YOU'LL SEE THAT OVERTIME NUMBER DROP EVEN FURTHER.
KATE LER WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN ALWAYS, UM, BRINGS UP THE IMPORTANCE OF MULTI-FAMILY RECYCLING AND THE IMPACT OF NOT DOING THIS ON OUR LANDFILLS.
AND IF I MISSED YOU ANSWER THIS EARLIER, I APOLOGIZE IF WE DON'T DIVERT ADDITIONAL WASTE THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, WHEN IS THE END OF LIFE FOR OUR CURRENT LANDFILL EXPECTED? AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A NEW LANDFILL? WHAT'S THE COST OF THAT? GREAT QUESTION.
UM, THE LIFE, CURRENT LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE LANDFILL.
NOW, OUR MAIN LANDFILL, MCCARTY ROAD LANDFILL HOVERING AROUND 10 OR 11 YEARS.
I, I'LL SAY REPUBLIC MAY TELL YOU 12 TO 13, RIGHT? BUT I'VE SEEN LANDFILL PERMITTING PROCESSES TAKE ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS TO ACTUALLY PERMIT, YOU KNOW, AND JUST GET IT.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN OUR BUDGET, IN OUR UPCOMING BUDGET TO START BREAKING THE ICE ON.
WE HAVE CONSULTANTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED TO HELP US, UH, WITH THAT PROCESS.
AND, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOME OF OUR OTHER COUNTERPARTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE A REGIONAL SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND MAYBE CREATE SOME SORT OF REGIONAL AUTHORITY OF SORTS, IF THAT, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT WE'VE GOTTA GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CREATIVE.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT, UH, THE MULTIFAMILY OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY TO, TO KINDA REPURPOSE PLASTICS, UH, IMPROVING OUR ORGANICS COLLECTION AND, AND REPURPOSING THAT FOR COMPOSTING.
SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT UPCOMING YEAR AND, AND JUST SEEING HOW SOME OF THESE WILL, SOME OF THESE ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGIES WORK IN HOUSTON OR NOT.
WOULD YOUR DEPARTMENT, UH, WELL, WHO, WHO DO YOU HAVE WORKING ON, ON WRITING GRANTS? DO YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT STAFF TO WRITE GRANTS? YEAH, THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
I TOOK A SWING AT THE PLATE TWO TIMES AND, AND STRUCK OUT, YOU KNOW,
SO THAT TELLS ME THAT WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA IMPROVE IN THAT AREA.
WE RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE, MOST NOTABLY ONE RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE, FOR, UH, ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY BE
[00:40:01]
OUT THERE THAT, THAT HAVE REALLY EXPRESSED INTEREST, UH, PEAKED OUR INTEREST AS WELL AS, UM, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IS COMING AROUND AGAIN, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS MAKING THAT AVAILABLE.SO, UH, AGAIN, WE DON'T WANNA STRIKE OUT FOR THE THIRD TIME, SO WE'LL BE, UH, SOLICITING SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S BUDGETED, THAT'S, OH, YES.
THAT'S, YOU HAVE ROOM IN YOUR BUDGET TO SOLICIT A, A GRANT WRITER.
I DID NOTICE IN YOUR LINE SOME OF YOUR LINE ITEM DATA.
UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS PAY FOR PERFORMANCE IS GOING FROM 250,000 TO 50,000 MM-HMM
AND, AND WHAT, WHAT IS PAY FOR PERFORMANCE AND HOW DOES THAT WORK AND YEAH.
PAY FOR PERFORMANCE, OUR EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S KIND OF TAKEN A HIT.
I'M NOT PARTICULARLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE, UH, I BELIEVE OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE UNDERPAID.
YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR THEM TO CATCH UP WITH OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY.
UH, BUT WE'VE GOTTA GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT ON, ON RECOGNIZING THAT TALENT THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO THIS YEAR, I HOPE TO CREATE A GREATER NEED FOR THAT SPACE.
UH, BUT THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT THAT IS, IS KIND OF RECOGNIZE THE EMPLOYEES FOR PRODUCTS.
HOW, HOW DOES IT WORK? LIKE, SO IF YOU, IF YOU'RE EXPECTED TO SPEND ABOUT $250,000 IN THAT MM-HMM
UM, IN THAT AREA, HOW, HOW DOES IT WORK? SOMEBODY GETS A BONUS FOR HOW, HOW DOES IT WORK ABOVE AND BEYOND PERFORMANCE? UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, NOT JUST COMING TO WORK AND DOING WHAT'S REQUIRED OF YOU, BUT KIND OF GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND IN MY RESEARCH OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR ABOUT THE LAST, I GUESS, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS FROM SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'M GETTING, IT'S BEEN RELATIVELY NON-EXISTENT.
SO WE WANT TO BRING THAT BACK.
UM, WE WANNA BRING IT BACK, BUT YOU'RE CUTTING IT.
SO WE, WE GOTTA CREATE THE NEED FOR IT.
AND, UM, ON THE ROUTES THEMSELVES MM-HMM
DO YOU THINK THAT THE ROUTES ARE STILL TOO, UH, TOO LARGE? YES.
WE WE'RE ABOVE, WHAT ARE THE NUMBER OF HOMES AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED, WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE AND WHERE ARE WE? RIGHT? SO WHERE WE SHOULD BE IS ABOUT 900 HOMES.
YOU PER, PER ROUTE, PER, PER ROUTE, PER, PER ROUTE, PER TRUCK, PER EMPLOYEE.
IF, IF YOU'RE TALKING AUTOMATED COLLECTION, WE SHOULD BE ABOUT 900 HOMES.
UH, THAT GIVES YOU A, A LITTLE SPACE IN CASE A TRUCK BREAKS DOWN.
MAYBE YOU RUN SHORT ON RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME, NO MORE THAN 1200.
YOU KNOW, AT TIMES WE'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR ROUTES GET UP TO 13, 14, MAYBE 1500 HOMES PER ROUTE.
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT GOOD FOR OUR MECHANICS BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE ON THAT TRUCK AS WELL.
SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU HEAR ME TALK ABOUT INCREASING THOSE RESOURCES IN THAT AREA, UH, I'M ALWAYS, UM, UH, MINDFUL TO THINK ABOUT OUR FLEET MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT TOO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MECHANICS TO WORK ON THAT EQUIPMENT.
AND FINALLY, UM, ON THE DISASTER, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND ASSESSING THE DAMAGE AND GOING, UM, FOR DEBRIS COLLECTION.
CAN YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON NOW TO GET, UM, THE, THE WASTE OFF THE, OFF THE CURBS? CERTAINLY.
IT'S, UH, LET ME SAY THIS DUDE.
AS I GET INTO THAT, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE MY FIRST RODEO, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, UH, HOUSTON AND STORM DEBRIS MANAGEMENT.
BUT I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED, UH, WITH THE, THE, THE CITIZEN'S RESPONSE AND RESIDENT'S RESPONSES.
IT, IT, THE RESILIENCY FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF KICK IN AND, AND JUST DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
SOME OF THE STREETS THAT I'VE BEEN RIDING UP AND DOWN, I'VE SEEN THE, THE DEBRIS, UH, TREE DEBRIS CUT UP PROPERLY POSITIONED AT THE CURB, LIKE SOLDIERS READY TO REPORT FOR SERVICE, RIGHT? SO, UH, HATS OFF TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR REALLY, UH, STEPPING UP ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ESTIMATE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 800 AND MAYBE A MILLION AND A HALF CUBIC QRS THAT ARE OUT THERE, A MILLION AND A HALF MAY BE ON THE, ON THE HIGH END.
UH, SO WE KNOW THAT EXCEEDS THE CAPACITY OF THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO, TO COLLECT THAT IN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME.
SO WE'VE, UH, EMPLOYED TWO OF OUR PREPOSITION CONTRACTORS TO ASSIST WITH DEBRIS REMOVAL AND ONE DEBRIS MONITOR, YOU KNOW, THAT BEING DRC, UH, THE OTHER ONE BEING ASHBURY.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TETRATECH IN AS WELL.
SO I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT SIZE EVENT, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY KIND OF EVALUATE WHO WE HAVE WORKING WITH US.
IT'LL REALLY GIVE YOU ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE PLAYERS AT THE TABLE.
AND THEN MOST OF ALL, AS WE WORK CLOSER AND CLOSER TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR FEMA REIMBURSEMENT, WE'LL HAVE A DEBRIS MONITOR ON BOARD AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS PROPERLY DOCUMENTED AND CATEGORIZED SO THAT THEY CAN PUT THE, BE THE CITY IN THE BEST POSITION, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, TO RECEIVE THAT REIMBURSEMENT.
AND, AND WITH THE CURRENT CAPACITY, DOES, UM, WHAT, WHAT TIMELINE CAN RESIDENTS EXPECT, UM, THAT WILL TAKE TO WORK THROUGH THIS? YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.
AGAIN, UM, WE'RE IN THE FIRST PASS RIGHT NOW, AND I BELIEVE WE WILL PROBABLY COMPETE, UH, COMPLETE THE FIRST PASS OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'LL BE A PROBLEM AT ALL.
AND THEN THE SECOND PASS, WE'RE HOPING THAT IT'LL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS, UH,
[00:45:01]
RESIDENTS WHO MAY HAVE HAD ADDITIONAL DAMAGE FROM A TREE FALLING ON THE HOUSE THAT CREATED SOME SORT OF SHINGLES OR ROOFING NEEDS.UH, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE.
I KNOW IN SOME PARTS OF TOWN, SOME RESIDENTS ARE STILL CUTTING UP TREES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND CLEARING 'EM OUT THE RIGHT OF WAY AND GETTING THEM PREPARED FOR COLLECTION.
WE HOPE THAT TAKES ANOTHER 30 DAYS.
AND THEN MAYBE BEYOND THAT, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF MANICURING HERE AND THERE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ONE-OFFS THAT, THAT MAY HAVE GOTTEN BY US, UH, AS I LIKE TO CATEGORIZE 'EM AS LATE PUTOUTS, RIGHT? SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE MAY SPEND SOME TIME WITH THAT.
SO I'D SAY ABOUT TWO TO THREE MONTH TIMEFRAME OUGHT TO, OUGHT TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT THAT'S THE END OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS DO.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND ALL THE GOOD WORK.
BUT MARY MORENO WAS COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
SO THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF TREES THAT WERE DOWNED, ESPECIALLY LIKE DISTRICT B.
WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR NOT TAKING THEM TO THE LANDFILL? OKAY, GOOD QUESTION.
SO, UM, ALL OF THE VEGETATIVE DEBRIS THAT'S BEING COLLECTED HAS TO BE TAKEN TO A TEMPORARY DEBRIS MANAGEMENT SITE, MEANING THAT WE CAN'T JUST TAKE 'EM, YOU KNOW, TO A LANDFILL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEY HAVE TO BE REDUCED ON SITE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BUNCH OF SHREDDED WOOD WASTE THAT, THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE HAVE, UH, FACILITIES THROUGHOUT TOWN.
UH, COMPANY IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS THAT WE DEAL WITH FOR VEGETATIVE DEBRIS.
AND THEN THERE, THERE MAY BE OTHER APPLICATIONS EITHER THROUGHOUT THE STATE OR OTHER AREAS WHERE IT CAN GO FOR ADDITIONAL PROCESSING, POSSIBLY COMPOST, END UP COMPOSTING MULCH AND WHATNOT.
I'LL END WITH, UH, I WANT MORE COMPOST.
I WANT COMPOSTING DROP OFF SITES.
WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE ONE, UM, VIRTUAL, MONICA OROZCO.
SPEAKING OF COMPOSTING, SHE'S OUR GIRL SCOUT.
MONICA WAS OUR GIRL SCOUT THAT HELPED WITH OUR COMPOSTING PILOT.
SO MONICA, ARE YOU ON? SHE'S, IF YOU PUSH STAR SIX, YOU CAN ADDRESS US.
MONICA, CAN YOU, CAN YOU CONNECT? ARE YOU ABLE TO CONNECT? SHE'S TRYING TO SAY SO SORRY, MONICA, IF YOU, IF YOU WILL SEND EMAILED COMMENTS, I'LL MAKE SURE MY COLLEAGUES SEE THEM AND THE, AND THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TECHNOLOGY PROBLEMS WE'RE HAVING TODAY.
THANK YOU, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS CITY AND, UH, BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD WITH REVENUES COMING IN ONE DAY.
HEY, LET'S, LET'S SPEAK IT INTO EXISTENCE.
COLLEAGUES WILL TAKE A, A, A QUICK BREAK AND, UM, WE'LL LOAD UP FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT'S PRESENTATION.