Council signals support for replacing sweepers

City workers like Steve Haley still operate Lodi's massive street sweepers.

But if last night's City Council meeting was any indication, they will not do the job much longer.

Despite opposition by the city's rank-and-file union and concerns from the mayor, the council said it supports further talks with a private garbage hauler that has offered to take over city street sweeping.

Under the yet-to-be-completed deal, Central Valley Waste Services would take over the service as part of a seven year extension of its garbage contract with the city.

Officials expect to complete that contract within the next few months.

It is not clear how much garbage rates would rise under the new deal, though they could go up about 10 cents per month, under one projection.

"It concerns me that the city manager and public works director think so little of our services to the city of Lodi," said Haley, who has worked for the city for 30 years, the past nine years operating the sweepers.

He noted that no one knows Lodi's streets and how to best clean them like existing city sweepers.

City Manager Blair King and Public Works Director Richard Prima said the potential move was not a comment about the quality of the sweepers.

Both said they are doing a good job.

Waste Management, however, might be able to do the job more efficiently than city workers, Prima said.

It already sweeps streets in Stockton and Woodland, company officials noted.

Contracting out the service, along with several other tasks like leaf pickup and emptying park trash cans, would also free up city money and manpower for much-needed street repairs, King and Prima said.

The city now spends nearly $700,000 per year on salaries, tasks or fees that Waste Management would pick up.

King said the city would not eliminate that spending, but redirect it toward street paving or sidewalk repairs.

Prima stressed the city will not lay off any workers should the service be contracted out. Instead, the city's two street sweeper operators would be given other assignments within the streets division.

Mayor JoAnne Mounce peppered Prima with questions, including whether workers had been notified of the possible change, and about what will happen should Waste Management do a poor job.

Workers, including Haley, said they'd only been notified recently, while Prima said he has been negotiating the deal since December.

Prima added that it would be a "financial burden" to take back the service should Waste Management do a poor job.

The city would sell two of its three sweeping machines if the deal with the private company works out, Prima said.

Other council members, including Larry Hansen, signaled support for the change.

He said he is in favor of getting "the best service for the lowest cost."

The bottom-line argument provided little consolation for Haley.

"I think the city would really miss a big resource and a handy tool if they got rid of the street sweepers," he told the council.

Contact reporter Chris Nichols at chrisn@lodinews.com.