Board of Commissioners Meetings

14 CITY OF HENDERSON – RECORD BOOK Record of Minutes of Called Work Session Meeting on January 24, 2023 A Special Called Work Session of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Henderson, Kentucky, was held on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at approximately 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, (immediately following the 3:00 p.m. Regular Meeting) in the third-floor Assembly Room of the Municipal Center, 222 First Street, Henderson, Kentucky. There were present Mayor Brad Staton presiding: PRESENT: Commissioner Robert N. Pruitt Commissioner Rodney Thomas Commissioner Austin P. Vowels Commissioner Nicholas E. Whitt CITY STAFF MEMBERS included: William L. “Buzzy” Newman, Jr., City Manager; Dawn Kelsey, City Attorney; Maree Collins, City Clerk; Heath Cox, Assistant City Manager; Holli Blanford, Public Information Officer; Robert Gunter, Finance Director; Brian Williams, Public Works Director; Trace Stevens, Parks, Recreation & Cemeteries Director; David Steele, Sanitation Superintendent; and Sam Lingerfelt, Safety & Training Coordinator. ________________________ THE FOLLOWING AGENDA ITEMS WERE DISCUSSED: Discussion on Sanitation Department and Landfill/Transfer Station  Brian Williams, Public Works Director, reported that staffing continues to be an issue; however, the City has changed to a different temp service that seems to be able to fill temporary positions in a timely manner.  Mr. Williams reported that the purpose of the recommended changes to the Sanitation Division are to better provide safer, cleaner, more uniform solutions to sanitation collection.  David Steele, Sanitation Superintendent, reported that the City usually runs five trucks with three employees each, each weekday. Last summer we were only able to run four trucks due to injuries and staffing issues. Some of the injuries included: back injuries and needle sticks. o Mr. Steele presented two possible plans, along with proposed budgets for each. Plan A involves the City purchasing one 96-gallon container (tote) per household and the purchase and installation of two tipper carts for the other two trucks that have not already been converted. This would equip all five of our trucks with the tipper carts. The totes and tipper carts would help to reduce employee injuries. o Plan B would be to have an outside contractor provide sanitation collection. Per an RFP that was received, to have an outside contractor provide these services utilizing their totes, which would be a fee to the customer, and one person per truck, would cost approximately $980,000.00 more than the city providing the services, and would not include all of the Spring Cleanup, commercial pickup, leaf collection and other types of services that the City currently provides. o Both plans would require an increase in collection fees. It is proposed to increase collection fees by $1.00 per year until it reaches $24.50 in 2028. Plan A has more up-front costs in order to provide the totes and tipper carts and further includes an increase in the minimum salary from the current $14.10 to $15.50.  Sam Lingerfelt, Safety & Training Coordinator, reported that Sanitation accounts for 14% of the City’s OSHA recordable (medical treatment/missing work, etc.) incidents, with four OSHA inspections over the past eight years - three involved sanitation. The tipper carts would lessen strain injuries. DISCUSSION WAS HELD relating to reviewing the ordinances to require use of the totes; safety issues for both the employees and customers; reiterated that the goal is not to get rid of employees, but just make a safer work environment; that utilizing the tipper carts/totes is safer and cleaner and gives flexibility to look at automation as attrition in staffing continues; totes/bins  15 CITY OF HENDERSON – RECORD BOOK Record of Minutes of Called Work Session Meeting on January 24, 2023 would belong to the City and be returned when a resident moves; that funds are available to use from the landfill closure fund to cover the up-front costs of the equipment; that landfill/transfer fees need to be reviewed and possibly increased to offset some of these costs; and that Sam has done a really good job of working to upgrade policies/procedures that have decreased our workers’ compensation rates/expense from $406,000.00 to $251,000.00. A poll was taken on which of the three options to pursue: do nothing, Plan A or Plan B. The pleasure of the Board was to have staff move forward with Plan A now for inclusion in the mid-year budget review.  Brian Williams, Public Works Director, reported that at some point in the very near future the transfer station and the CDD/Residual transfer point will need to be relocated to be under one roof. It is estimated to take two years to get through the permitting process. Staff estimates that at least ten acres will be necessary and cost an estimated $3,000,000.00+. At that time, we can start the process to close the old landfill. The state regulates the closing process, and it is currently estimated at $4,000,000.00. We have $2,600,000.00 in reserves for closure plus $1,100,00.00 in reserves for monitoring.  William L. “Buzzy” Newman, Jr., City Manager, recommended that staff be allowed to start the process to explore a location/plan for a new transfer station. NO FORMAL ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. ________________________ MEETING ADJOURN: MOTION by Commissioner Pruitt, seconded by Commissioner Thomas to adjourn. The vote was called. On roll call, the vote stood: Commissioner Vowels Aye: Commissioner Pruitt Aye: Commissioner Thomas Aye: Commissioner Whitt Aye: Mayor Staton -------------- Aye: WITHOUT OBJECTION, Mayor Staton declared the work session adjourned at approximately 5:15 p.m. ATTEST: ________________________ Bradley S. Staton, Mayor ________________________ February 14, 2023 Maree Collins, CKMC City Clerk.