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Virginia Beach waste-management employees urge pay boosts, staffing to reduce safety risks
Summary
Multiple city waste-management employees told City Council at a public hearing that low pay and understaffing are driving departures, creating safety risks and forcing employees into roles they say require more training.
At a special Virginia Beach City Council public hearing on April 16, 2025, several waste-management employees urged the council to increase entry-level pay and add staff to reduce on-the-job safety risks.
Alfred McClenny, a waste-management employee, told the council that “there was no mention of the lag in compensation for public works, especially waste management during the market survey discussion.” He said hiring and retention have been poor: “From ’23 to ’25, we hired 75 employees. That same span, we lost 69.”
Stacy Lewis, who identified herself as a two-year city employee, said crews are overworked and understaffed. “We need, like, 22 trucks to be able to do the rear loader side of the trash removal,” Lewis said. She described long hours—six days a week and 12-hour days for some routes—and said the pay for some CDL-level work is insufficient.
Omar Mays, who identified himself as an automation operator in the department, said new trucks were phased in about two-and-a-half years ago but crews are handling far more collection cans per operator than is typical. “Right now, we are ranging between 1,200 cans to 1,400 cans an operator,” Mays said. “If we can get just a little help from the city council, so we can come up with a plan to cut these units down so we can be safe on the road, especially according to VDOT standards.”
Speakers recommended specific pay adjustments. McClenny recommended raising entry-level pay and moving certain grade steps up: “GS status needs to be increased at least by 2 to 3. Threes and fours, at least by 1 to 2.” He said that change would help retain workers and reduce losses to neighboring localities.
Commenters also tied staffing shortfalls to safety. McClenny said untrained employees are being placed behind the wheel and that the department has experienced “numerous accidents” as a result. Mays asked the council for a plan to reduce per-operator workloads so crews meet VDOT safety standards.
No formal council votes or directives were recorded during the public-comment portion captured in the transcript. Speakers asked council to address compensation and staffing in the fiscal 2025 operating budget and capital improvement planning that the council was hearing that evening.
The public hearing agenda included the FY2025 operating budget, capital improvement program and multiple bond authorizations; speakers made clear the waste-management concerns were tied to compensation and staffing decisions reflected in those budget documents. The hearing is part of the council’s legally noticed special session under Virginia Beach city code 2-21.
Speakers asked the council to consider targeted pay adjustments and a staffing plan to reduce workloads, improve safety and stop the flow of employees to nearby jurisdictions. Council did not announce any decisions during the public-comment period recorded in the transcript.
