City of Henderson Public Works Director Linda Leyen reported that it has been “a busy ten days” to the Henderson City Council on Monday evening.
Waste Industries, Inc. began collecting Henderson’s solid waste from the curb on August 2, 2010. On that day, according to Leyen, staffing in her department was changed and reduced, with Waste Industries absorbing three full-time employees from the city.
Before assuming its collection contract, Waste Industries delivered 5,400 rolling cards to city households.
The city continues to collect recycling, but the schedule has changed so that recycling collection occurs on the same day of the week as garbage collection. However, recyclables are still collected every other week. City recycling collection routes have changed as well, with Friday’s route, according to Leyen, “very large”.
The public works direction said she would look at the route and “work it out”.
Leyen told members that one temporary worker was retained on a recycling truck to aid in the transition.
Leyen said that her department has received “good, positive comments” from citizens. She said that she is in touch with Waste Industries by telephone and email several times a day with concerns. Leyen added that concerns received before 4:00 p.m. are dealt with that day and those received after that time are addressed the next day.
According the the department head, four percent or 244 city households have requested back door sanitation pickup service due to physical infirmity. This is double the two percent the city initially estimated would require the extra service. Leyen said that she had spoken with each of the applicants, either when they delivered their applications for back door service or at their homes.
During discussion with the council, Leyen said that residents can use their own containers for recycling instead of the eighteen gallon container provided by the city, but that they must be clearly marked.
Council member Mike Rainey noted that he found his garbage container in a different position from the way he left if before collection. He asked if the position in which it was left was the preferred position. Leyen responded by noting that the collection is not completely automated as of yet, so the position in which the can is left does not matter.