During the Aug. 16 city council meeting, Mayor Thomas Karnes reported on a meeting he had with officials from Green for Life Environmental, the city’s waste management company.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – Problems continue to hinder Green for Life Environmental’s ability to provide timely waste management services for the city, Mayor Thomas Karnes said at the Aug. 16 City Council meeting.
He said a meeting with GFL officials in early August resulted in a “very interesting conversation.”
“An open and frank conversation, with the complaints that we’ve had of missed pickups, the addresses that weren’t being done or taken care of, and the ability to do three different pickups, sometimes four – the regular trash, the recyclables, the yard waste and a bulk item – that’s four different crews,” Karnes said. “We stressed how we need to work so the pickups are done during the street maintenance times, and that if there is going to be a delay, we need to know about that as soon as possible, so that we can put that word out.”
He said GFL officials invited city officials to tour its recycling facility, and film the visit for others to see.
Karnes said GFL acknowledged its shortcoming and apologized for the inconvenience and a lowering of the level of service it said customers had received in the past.
GFL cited an employment crisis across the nation “of unusual proportion,” with many job openings being unfilled, particularly in the solid waste industry. They said their employment levels had been below or sub-optimum for several months, which has impacted GFL’s ability to service its customers.
They also noted that while there is no quick fix for its current employment issues, they understand the need to clear the curbs of yard waste, refuse and recycling, and have increased pickups from five days a week to six, whenever a delay is experienced anywhere in the city, which GFL hopes will minimize the impact of delayed service.
They also noted that the international disruption in supply chains, specifically in regard to truck parts, has kept some of its fleet off the road while the vehicles wait for back-ordered part shipments.
GFL officials said they “wished they had a silver bullet to instantly rectify these situations,” but they remain committed to providing residents with “the service they expect and deserve.”
They said they would “keep the lines of communication open,” and that they appreciate residents’ patience during GFL’s “current predicament.”
Karnes said GFL has a computer system which tracks its vehicles.
“It was very cool to me,” he said. “They have the time, how long they are in front of different homes, and if there is a complaint about missed pickups, they can go back and find out.”
Karnes said GFL officials were grateful to have an opportunity to work with Lincoln Park officials to address concerns.
He said a disruption of service should be reported to Ashley McInchak in the Lincoln Park City Management office, at 313-386-1800, Ext. 1231.