Sound Off
Sound Off: How many people are going to lose their jobs when the city starts using the new trash cans and trucks with the hydraulic lifts?
Solid Waste Division staffing levels will be managed through attrition as more automated equipment is purchased, said Megan Gilliland, the city’s communications manager.
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Comments
Did_I_say_that 8 months ago
"Solid Waste Division staffing levels will be managed through attrition as more automated equipment is purchased, said Megan Gilliland, the city’s communications manager."
In other words: We don't want to be the bad guys and lay anyone off. So, when they retire or quit they won't be replaced. We will also find other reasons that have nothing to do with hydraulic lifts; such as not having the proper driver's license, work efficiencies, and a sudden intolerance for things that were previously tolerated. But, NOT one employee be laid off due to new trash trucks with lifts that eliminate the need for three employees per truck.
KS 8 months ago
Did I say that - Right on. I think you figured it out. According to your wisdom, they seem to be cleaning up their act. Good for them! Obviously, you have never made a payroll. You problably only sign the back side of checks. I feel confident you have no idea what "Workers Compensation" premiums are.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 8 months ago
Look back and I'll bet you will see one of the selling points of this new system is the money they would save by not needing employees and their associated costs. The ole Lawrence bait and switch again.
avarom 8 months ago
Correct Cant...No Bet Here...but you will be separating your garbage, have many garbage bill increase over time and the Scavenger Company sells back YOUR garbage, YOU SEPARATED to the recycling centers.... (WHICH THEY SCAVENGER CO.OWNS). Then the Recycle Centers.... sell the garbage you separated to Other Businesses, and they recycle it and re-sells it back to us!
Plastic water bottles are a good example...pay deposit at the store, separate it for them, Scavenger sells it back, and we pay they deposit again when we purchase again, plus the savager bill increases...the are slick...The Scavenger Co. uses the gas increases and lack of force as a ploy for the bill increases. Well yeah.......you laid off 1/2 your force......And the Rub is.... It only takes one truck and one man to pick up your garbage which you nicely separated for them to SELL!! They laid off a ton of people in my city...which SUCKS! !!
gccs14r 8 months ago
If you have to pay a bottle deposit, there is nothing keeping you from returning the empty to get your deposit back. If the recycling company is getting the deposit, instead, guess whose fault that is?
avarom 8 months ago
How many do that to save a nickel?? The point is you recycle it for them and get charged over and over for the same bottle which you recycled in the first place!!
tomatogrower 8 months ago
I thought you conservatives like shrinking government and making it more efficient? I guess you can have it both ways.
paulveer 8 months ago
KS, the workers comp issue was a lie from Cromwell. This non-issue can be easily and inexpensively solved by strictly enforcing the existing weight limit for trash put at the curb, which is routinely ignored by workers and public alike. Throw in a little more training, and more selective fitness screening if necessary, and the problem's fixed.
If your WC premiums are high, I suggest you apply similar measures.
Did_I_say_that 8 months ago
KS - you are so far off. I have no problem with downsizing government. I am simply pointing out the deception used to get there. My point is that the city should man-up and admit where they are headed.
More to the point - this is government; since when did they concern themselves with meeting a budget?
KS 8 months ago
Did I say that - "since when did they concern themselves with meeting a budget?" Since God and eveybody else starting complaining about all the money they foolishly spend. Gosh, you are daming them if they do and daming them if they don't!
Back to Paulveer - Workers Comp is an issue. The collectors are going to try to do their job. If I put something out that is a few pounds over the limit and they decide not to pick it up, who do you think is going to be the first person to call and make a complaint? It will be me and then the collector has to explain to the boss why it was not picked up and a second truck will need to be sent to satisfy a complaint. They will just collect it and go on. I am not suggesting they have to pick up a piano. These guys don't have scales out there. This is not a science. Using a hydralic truck is another tool to help thsee guys. They are picking up trash and folks have done this for years. Applying "similar measures" is being pretty street dumb. When you don't have a supervisor following them around, they are going to do as they please. Would you want their job? I don't. I don't want to be a fireman either (going into a burning house in the middle of the night) or a cop stopping a car at 2AM! Rain, sleet, snow, etc. Which side of the paycheck do you sign? It is a two way street.
ljreader 8 months ago
Since this system will be so much more efficient, costing the taxpayers so much less, I look forward to a reduction in our City bills. So much for that.
Currahee 8 months ago
We're talking about Lawrence. When the state wants to give taxpayers relief on sales tax, our city commission whips out their calculators and tries to see how much more money it will be for the city when they increase the city sales tax. I think governments need to provide citizens with services, but at what point does it reach unnecessary pork?
skull 8 months ago
Just another job lost by Obama.
question4u 8 months ago
Cool! Obama designed hydraulic lifts for garbage trucks? I hadn't heard that. Thanks for pointing it out. That Obama is one smart guy.
skull 8 months ago
Now you're just being sarcastic...
djneibarger 8 months ago
bazinga
avarom 8 months ago
Maybe Obama will recycle himself in one and throw his Ass away!!
optimist 8 months ago
While it is unpopular and never easy to end ones job it is irresponsible of the city government to retain unneeded human resources at a cost to taxpayers. They have a duty to the tax payer to make the hard decisions free of emotion. This is an example of Government waste and abuse.
skull 8 months ago
Waste and abuse... What is buying expensive new trash trucks and forcing new fees on your cash strapped taxpayers just to cut a few jobs eventually. Tax breaks for the rich, cut all public sector jobs for a better tomorrow!
djneibarger 8 months ago
actually if you had read the previous articles on this topic, you would know that the trash rates are going down for everyone, as a result of this change.
skull 8 months ago
Actually, if you had read the article you posted above, trash rates will only go down for those who elect the smaller 35 gallon trash can. Those who elect for the larger trash can will have their bills increased by two dollars a month. Driving around town and seeing the weekly mounds, I would suspect many residents should see their rates go up. The article posted also states that the city spent almost $900,000 for the cans, a price I'm almost certain will be passed on to the customers in one form or another.
avarom 8 months ago
There is this bridge I have for sale too....want to buy it!! lol
ThePilgrim 8 months ago
For Lawrence this may actually be a problem, unless the city changes its trash acceptance policy. Lawrence, unlike other cities, takes many things thrown out by the side of the curb that require human collectors to load - couches, big boxes, bed parts, even washing machines! The trucks with the lifters have one guy - the driver - and they don't pick up those things. You have to take those things to the dump yourself, usually at the price of a nail in the tire.
Renaissance 8 months ago
Throwing away a washing machine? Only a fool would do that. Remove the power cord with a standard phillips head screwdriver = $10 on craigslist. Take rest to 12th & Haskell Recycling = $12 in scrap. The amount of scrap metal people throw away is sad for the environment and even worse for their own pocketbook
paulveer 8 months ago
Those future jobs lost to attrition, will be gained by workers somewhere else building automated trash trucks. Those wages will then be spent and taxed, paying some landlord, who might spend some of it on his custodian, who is taxed while he spends it on his rent, groceries , etc. All of this economic churn from the same money spent and taxed multiple times in a community will be a great benefit to some community not named "Lawrence, KS."
notorious_agenda 8 months ago
One guy or gal in a truck comes and dumps the carts. Any other bags are left by that guy or gal for a second crew who picks up the trash in the traditional way. Those extra bags eventually require a special sticker or are left at the curb. Yard waste eventually is required to be in only paper yard bags or is left at the curb. If you place your cart in the wrong place or position it will be left full at your curb.
MacHeath 8 months ago
We MAY see a reduction in fees. I will believe that, when I see it. Will that reduction be large enough to offset the added costs, and trouble of having to put yard waste in bags, or paying some else to haul it off? We MAY see a small reduction in fees, but we are definitely loosing services. I am against government waste as much as the next guy, but this could be an example of how cutting spending can sometimes bite us all in the backside. (and take out a chunk)
jafs 8 months ago
The reduction is real, for those who have the small or regular size receptacles.
Yard waste will be handled the same way it is now, so I don't understand your comment about that.
What services are we "loosing"?
srj 8 months ago
Not sure how much you can layoff anyway. Still got dumpsters, and special pick-ups will increase a lot.
avarom 7 months, 4 weeks ago
One word describes the layoffs......CONTRACTORS! UGH! The city hires contract labor to do the big pickups and in California they allow you 6 large pick ups a year....and yes some old timer, with his old timer truck is hired to pick up your big furniture, refrigerators, large carpets, washing machines etc...etc...etc...of course....if they have Contractors...no benefits, no workmans comp responsibilty and if you get sick...they just call some one else to do your pick up. Its All about Money....Oh..and no Pension either!!
Maybe they should hire Contract Legislators, Senators, Judges....then when us Common Folk get tired of their Nonense, we can call the Agency to Replace Them. No more high pension payout, or government abuse of Power...OR getting stuck with a LOSER!! We can call it Pick and Pull!!
gccs14r 8 months ago
I can't believe there is so much resistance to making the service more efficient. Two years ago, the complaint was that the Solid Waste Division was inefficient and should be scrapped in favor of private haulers. I'm thrilled that they're switching to standardized carts with tiered pricing and automated trucks, rather than letting private haulers get in here. We're getting better service for less money from the City than we'd ever get from a privateer.
oneeye_wilbur 8 months ago
The bigger question is how many employees will. Defenbaugh KEEP. when they take bet the service? I do not trust any decision made by the city commission.
lunacydetector 8 months ago
staffing levels will be managed through attrition, until further notice (after everyone gets used to the new carts and it is no longer a headline people remember or care about)
overthemoon 8 months ago
So will there be some sort of recycling option for all the trash cans people will no longer need?
jafs 8 months ago
You can continue to use them for yard waste and other household uses.
If they're recyclable, take them to a recycling center and recycle them, if you don't want to keep using them.
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