Information Items:
Response to Sunday Evening Wind Storm
Staff Resources: John Lojko, 704-336-5056 and Wayman Pearson, 704-336-3410
A strong windstorm hit Charlotte on Sunday evening, March 7. Between Sunday and Monday, City Landscape Management staff received about 150 calls concerning storm debris and blocked streets. Crews from Landscape Management and Street Maintenance began work on Sunday night around 8:00 and worked through the night to clear debris and open streets. There were about 25 trees down blocking streets. Many of these involved power lines and needed to be cleared by Duke Energy crews. All streets but one were open by Monday night and all streets are open today.
Contract crews started work on Monday to assist in the clean up of large tree debris and tree removals on public right-of-way. Clean up is expected to continue throughout the week, with the goal to have all street tree debris removed by the middle of next week.
Solid Waste Services conducted an assessment on Monday to determine if additional resources would be needed to accommodate debris and clean up from private property. There are isolated accumulations of branches and tree limbs, and yard waste volume is expected to be higher than normal for this time of year. However, staff believes it can be adequately accommodated with normal service and existing resources.
Information about collection procedures has been distributed to the media and placed on the website. Customers are asked to comply with the normal yard waste guidelines, as follows:
- Trim limbs to 4 or 5 feet long
- Cut limbs to 4 inches in diameter or less.
- Limbs should be put in piles small enough for one worker to handle.
- Collection crews cannot remove tree stumps.
New Bus Operations Labor Contracts
Staff Resource: Keith Parker, 704-336-3855
CATS' primary contractor, Transit Management of Charlotte, has new labor agreements with the unions representing mechanics and bus drivers. United Transportation Union Local 1166, representing maintenance employees, signed a 5-year agreement that became effective March 1, 2004 and terminates February 29, 2009. The agreement provides wage increases of 3% for years 1 through 3, 3.5% for year 4, and 3.8% for year 5.
Bus operators, represented by Teamsters Local 71, voted to approve a new 3-year contract. The contract is currently in final review and is expected to be signed by March 15, 2004. The contract will be effective February 1, 2004 through January 31, 2007. The contract provides a 3% wage increase for each of the three years.
Both agreements were approved by 2-to-1 margins.
Charlotte Arena Project Monthly Expenditures
Staff Resource: Jim Schumacher, 704-336-3656
Attached is the Monthly Arena Expenditure Report.
