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PROPOSED REVISION TO THE RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION - HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Staff Contact: Jack Friedline, Director, Public Works
Staff Presenter: Michelle Woytenko, Deputy Public Works Director
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Purpose and Policy Guidance
Recommendation
This is a request for City Council to review and provide guidance regarding proposed revisions to the current holiday schedule of the Residential Collection Services, within the Solid Waste Management Division.
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Background
The Solid Waste Management Division, Residential Collection Services, currently collects weekly from each resident, refuse and recycling in separate containers, on the same day each week. The division currently observes ten of the eleven City holidays (excluding Thanksgiving Friday). During weeks with a holiday, the collection service is moved a day, and, if the holiday is on a Monday, all residents are impacted. For example, when a holiday falls on a Monday, normal Monday service is moved to Tuesday, normal Tuesday service is moved to Wednesday, etc., finishing the service by collecting normal Friday service on Saturday.
Staff is proposing that the division only observe three holidays; New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The proposed change was suggested by staff within the division to avoid the higher traffic in residential areas on weekends.
Analysis
The Solid Waste Call Center receives an increase in calls during holiday weeks, the majority of the increase call volume is either a resident believes they were missed, as they were unaware or forgot about the holiday, or a resident believes government (the City) has too many holidays and observes holidays that they do not (example - Columbus Day). Other local municipalities such as, Phoenix and Scottsdale, currently observe on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and, Glendale observing the same holidays would avoid collection confusion when residents move from these cities into Glendale, or live in Glendale with a Phoenix mailing address.
As a safety aspect, on a normal weekday, residential streets are relatively quiet whereas on weekends, there are more children playing; additional pedestrian and/or bike traffic; more garage sales; and a higher level of traffic on residential streets in general. In addition, the landfill observes its highest customer volume by transaction on Saturdays, and adds additional staff for spotting purposes on those Saturdays when Residential Solid Waste Collection is working.
Community Benefit/Public Involvement
Public Works staff is planning a comprehensive public outreach for the proposed change.
This change would avoid confusion and provide a higher level of customer service to the citizens of Glendale. To City of Glendale employees, the resultant impact to morale would be beneficial.
Budget and Financial Impacts
There would be little financial impact associated with the change in holiday operations. The advertisement/promotion of this change would mostly be staff time.
Capital Expense? No
Budgeted? No
Requesting Budget or Appropriation Transfer? No