DPW says staffing, seasonal yard waste drove December collection delays; temporary hires and overtime used to catch up

Commissioner Cyril Turner, who heads the city's Department of Public Works, told the City Utilities Committee that seasonal yard-waste volumes combined with staffing shortages caused the December disruption in solid-waste service.

"We had 17 people join us just yesterday split between the two facilities, to play catch up," Turner said, adding the department had "also authorized overtime on weekends, to be able to catch up as well." Turner characterized the problem as largely operational and said the department was taking responsibility for the disruption while bringing on temporary labor and other accountability measures to prevent recurrence.

Council Member Juan asked for clarity and raised the importance of sharing accurate information with constituents; Turner said he would speak directly with council members and accept responsibility for getting service back on schedule. Council Member Moon urged staff to continue outreach by mail and phone to reach residents affected by the city’s digital divide and asked staff to treat "legacy residents" and long‑time employees courteously as service is restored.

Chair Dustin Hillis asked the Department of Public Works and the Department of Watershed Management to provide the committee with names, areas of responsibility and contact information for staff so council members can direct constituent concerns to the right officials. Turner said staffing and cultural-accountability steps were underway and predicted the department would be caught up in "one or two cycles." The committee moved on after the exchange and later advanced separate legislative business.