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Solid Waste Services
Agreement Reached for Solid Waste Worker Severance Package
Message from City Manager Virginia Barney
March 11, 2008
The job of collecting the community's refuse is among the most physical and challenging services we provide. It's a year-round role, performed in snow, rain and wind, as well as sweltering summer days. We recognize and applaud the high level of service our solid waste workers have consistently provided to Upper Arlington residents over the years.
For both members of City Council and the Administration, as we move toward the City's transition in privatized solid waste services, an important component all along has been providing for our solid waste workers in a fair and considerate manner. I am pleased to report we have been able to reach an agreement with the Teamsters Local 284 that achieves this goal.
At the Monday, March 10 City Council Meeting, Council voted to adopt an Ordinance that addresses the severance package for our employees. Components of the package include:
– An early retirement incentive program for employees who are within two years of retirement;
– The extension of employees' health insurance coverage for a period of up to five months;
– Sick leave compensation in keeping with the policy for retiring employees, whereby employees are monetarily compensated for a portion of their sick leave balance (contingent upon each employee not using more than two days of sick leave prior to April 4);
– A severance payment based on each employee's length of service.
Based on the details of this agreement, it is estimated the severance package will not exceed $350,000.
Having just reached agreement in principle with the Teamsters in recent days, and recognizing the transition in services is but four weeks away, Council rightly adopted this Ordinance under emergency clause so that it could immediately go into effect. This allows us to quickly work with the impacted employees to help them plan their financial affairs and prepare appropriately for their departure from City employment. This agreement also helps us ensure the continued high level of service you expect from your local government in the weeks leading up to the switch in service provider.
While I am not privy to all the details of Inland Service Corporation's hiring process and progress made to date, company representatives have reaffirmed their openness to considering City employees for the available positions should they choose to apply, recognizing their experience and knowledge of our community would be a benefit to Inland's operations.
In this vein, Inland is also planning to undertake some proactive outreach to the community, and to utilize a number of service monitor employees during the first weeks of operation to ensure a smooth transition in services.
Reaching the decision to privatize solid waste services has been a challenging process for all involved. I applaud members of City Council for their due diligence on this important issue, and their willingness to take their leadership role to heart when setting forth policy that is for the good of the greater community, even when the issue is the cause of some debate. I also thank them for enabling us to reach a satisfactory agreement that treats our solid waste workers with the respect they deserve in this difficult time.
Serving as an elected official is not an easy role, sometimes made even harder when you are serving the community in which you live. Local government touches our lives most directly, and it is natural for us to find ourselves faced with difficult decisions that aren't always fully supported by all our residents. City Council members take their roles as your collective voice very seriously, weighing up the many factors involved in any one issue in order to reach a decision that best reflects community wishes balanced with the bigger picture and what makes sense for Upper Arlington's health and vitality over the long term.
Updated 5/08
City Manager's Office
City of Upper Arlington
3600 Tremont Road
Upper Arlington, Ohio 43221
Phone: 614-583-5040
www.ua-ohio.net
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