City cuts $20,000 from budget

The City of St. Augustine tells Historic City News local government reporters that they are no stranger to the economic realities of government agencies nationwide who are finding creative ways to maintain services, increase revenue, and enhance the stability of budgets.

In a recently published article by Rick Stevens, manager of the solid waste and sanitation department for the City, he explained how bulk trash collection has gone from a cumbersome, two-man operation to a one-man collection vehicle.

“A major challenge,” Stevens said, “was how to handle bulk items and brush collection safely.”

Due to the growth of vegetation, number of rental properties, and city-mandated collection policies; bulk collection of trash can range from 5% to 40% of the municipal waste generated.

In May of last year, Stevens said the City purchased a Petersen model TL-3 grapple truck. Prior to that time, workers picked up brush and bulk trash items in two ways.

First, a flatbed truck used for bulk collection would assist the residential routes with brush collection by placing the brush manually into the bed area of the vehicle. Then the truck would dump the brush debris at the yard waste transfer station and proceed with the collection process. At the end of the week, a Streets Division front-end loader would then assist the solid waste staff with disposal by loading the brush debris into roll-off boxes.

Second, the flatbed would load refrigerators, sleeper sofas, dishwashers, and similar trash then transport these items to a roll-off container where they were manually unloaded into the boxes. This collection procedure was not only costly to the city but was also the cause of worker injuries.

In addition to this practice of bulk collection, the flatbed would drive through the city looking for items to be picked up. This process was very time-consuming and not the most efficient use of the workforce.

Since implementing the grapple truck, the city provides services to residents who have bulky items to be picked up on a “will call” basis. The new process has residents contacting the city when they oversize trash for collection; thus reducing unnecessary fuel consumption and enhancing savings by 25 gallons of diesel fuel per week.

Reducing large item trash collection by the Solid Waste Division to a one-person operation with the grapple truck, has produced an annual savings to the City estimated to be $20,883.00.

Since the grapple truck also assists the rear load residential vehicles in the yard waste collection process, there is no longer a need for overtime.

The grapple truck will also respond quickly to resident needs during severe storms.

The Division of Solid Waste has a fleet of five rear-loaders and four front-end loaders. But, since the division also performs the street sweeping and storm water catch basin cleaning for the city, its total fleet number is 17 – including the new grapple truck.