By Kirsten J. Barnes
For the past several weeks the Columbus Council has been struggling to decide what to do about trash pickup and how to help the employees of the Public Works Department.
Despite purchasing 40 side-loading automated trash collection trucks at a cost of $16 million, the city has released a request for proposals (RFP No. 24-0017) for waste collection services annual contract.
“The Consolidated Government of Columbus GA (the City) invites qualified offerors to submit proposals to provide weekly waste collection and disposal services, including all necessary equipment and labor needed to collect and dispose of the following options: Option A: Household Waste; Option B: Yard Waste Only: Option C: Recycling Collection; Option D: Bulk Waste Only; and Option E: All Collection and Disposal Services,” according to the information on the RFP, which is due by 5 p.m. on May 3, 2024.
Drale Short, director of public works, said that she and her staff are tired and overworked because the city refuses to adopt the automated system. This system would force all households to have trash carts and eliminate the pickup of uncanned trash bags, which often get torn by animals, causing trash to be strewn throughout the community.
She addressed the Council on April 9 after District 5 Counselor Charmaine Crabb allegedly disrespected trash collection workers by telling them to be out picking up trash instead of attending the meeting.
“These people – I have to say this, Councilor Crabb. I was completely disheartened by your comments about ‘these people.’ These people work hard. They’re working six days a week. They don’t see their families; and if they were dressed in public service uniforms nobody would question their presence. And it really hurt my heart that you would consider them so low on the totem pole that they can’t come and speak and be present for something that’s going to affect their lives,” Short said before being asked to stop because she was “out of order.”
This discussion lasted more than an hour, and several councilors and City Manager Isaiah Hugley weighed in on the topic.
“We do not need bags of trash on the ground so animals can get to them,” Hugley said. “We need a standard. Other communities have a standard. Why can’t we have a standard in Columbus, Ga.?”
Present at the meeting were more than two dozen public works employees.
“I’ve been just baffled over the past four or five years now on the simple things that we need to do to move forward as a city,” Huff said. “Columbus is in constant competition with Augusta, but we are being looked at across the world. I get phone calls from across the country from other states, recently about people moving here to work here and paying them to come. We need to be a city where our public works people feel appreciated. We need to be a city where people want to move here because it’s a great place to be. We shouldn’t have to pay them to come.”
Several members wanted to hold off on taking the vote until after the proposals had been reviewed from the RFP.
“Know that you are appreciated. I don’t want you to feel any kind of way today. I apologize for anything that you may be feeling right now,” Huff said. “I can do that from me. We love you. We appreciate you. We’re going to work hard up here to try to get this done.”
However, Crabb insisted that her words during the previous meeting were taken out of context.
“In no way would I purposely insult you. And so, if you took it as an insult to you, I apologize with my whole heart because there’s no way that I don’t appreciate you and if I don’t say it enough to you personally, I’m saying it now. I appreciate you…” Crabb said during the meeting.
Still, the vote to adopt the new automated system failed on a three-five vote, with only Councilors Huff (District 3), Walker Garrett (District 8) and Tyson Begly (District 10) voting in favor of the measure. After which, the workers walked out of the meeting.
The regular meetings of the Council of Columbus are held at 9 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month and at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month.