DATE: November 27, 2018
TO: Members of the Housing & Redevelopment Authority
FROM: Janine Atchison, Housing Coordinator
Title
Report-Fall Clean Up Day at Viking Terrace and Florella’s Manufactured Home Parks
Body
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
The Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) to review report of the October 20, 2018 Fall Clean Up at Viking Terrace and Florella’s Manufacture Home Parks.
BACKGROUND:
At the August 28, 2018, regular meeting the HRA discussed the possibility of hosting a rubbish amnesty event at Viking Terrace Manufactured Home Park (Viking Terrace). It was suggested by Board members that Florella’s Manufacture Home Park (Florella’s) be included in the event.
Staff met with Jeffrey Weast of Dick’s Sanitation, Inc. (DSI), Debra Haan, co-owner of Viking Terrace and Laura Tiano, Co-Coordinator of Growing Up Healthy to discuss a possible rubbish amnesty event. Staff also contacted Florella’s owner Marlene Breshnahan. It was decided the event should happen on a Saturday morning, October 20, 2018, between 8 am & noon. According to Weast, having volunteers, to help load DSI trucks would save the HRA additional labor expenses. Staff arranged for volunteers from the Northfield Union of Youth (NUY).
On September 25, 2018 the estimated costs, and volunteer plans were presented to the HRA. The estimated cost was $2,800 for Viking Terrace and an additional $500 - $1000 to include Florella’s. This estimate was based on the HRA providing volunteer assistance with loading the trucks. The HRA voted to move forward with the project to include both Viking Terrace and Florella’s and to allow up to $4,500. Staff suggested the HRA make a donation to the NUY, which is currently raising money to purchase and installation of a washer & dryer at the Key, for their volunteer efforts. Volunteer labor is currently valued at just over $26.00 per hour. The HRA voted to wait until after the event to approve a stipend donation to the NUY.
With input from stakeholders, the event was named “Fall Clean Up Day”. Staff created a flyer in English and Spanish languages, to notify residents. The park owners took responsibility to distribute the Flyers to all their residents.
The Fall Clean Up Event was held on October 20, 2018 from 8:00 am to 10:45 at Viking Terrace and 11:00 to 12:00 noon at Florella’s. DSI promptly placed 3 very large roll-off dumpsters and 1 large capacity back-end loading, compacting truck at 8:00 am. Each dumpster was designated for a certain type of rubbish, one for tires, one for metal and one for electronics. All other rubbish was tossed into the compacting back-loader truck, including furniture and mattresses. DSI had three staff members on site who immediately took charge, directing and assisting volunteers, staff and residents. They were very helpful, courteous and efficient while explaining where to put items, assisting with unloading cars & trucks, all while running the compacting back-loader.
With resident cars and trucks filled, with items to discard, already lining up, the event began with a rush. City Staff and Co-Owner Debra Haan verified the resident status of people bringing their rubbish and tracking the number of residents participating. Five volunteers from the Key, 3 DSI workers, staff and others worked feverishly to assist residents all morning. The NUY volunteers not only helped residents unload their vehicles, but also helped other residents carry large items to the event area. By 10:30 am each roll-off dumpster and the back-loading compactor truck were completely filled. Unfortunately, 2 or 3 residents had to be turned away because there was no longer any room for additional refuse. With few exceptions, there was a tremendous sense of comradery between the volunteers, DSI staff, residents and others throughout the event. In fact, the donuts, coffee & juice provided by Staff for the workers, went untouched until after the Viking Terrace event was completed, when volunteers and workers quickly grabbed refreshments on their way to repeat the process at Florella’s.
One member of the DSI Team remained behind at the Viking Terrace Site until the roll-off dumpsters were picked up by DSI. The full compactor truck was immediately taken to the Rice County landfill site, emptied and brought back to Florella’s.
At Florella’s, volunteers walked through the park assisting residents with loading and carrying their items to one dumpster and compactor truck. Residents from Viking Terrace who had not been able to unload earlier were able to bring their items to Florella’s to unload. Loading concluded at noon.
DSI removed 7.37 tons of trash, 1.67 tons of tires, 1.78 tons of steel and .75 tons of electronics from the parks. A total of 11.57 tons of rubbish were removed from Viking Terrace and Florella’s within 4 hours.
At Viking Terrace alone, approximately 60 mattresses were removed. An extra-large sized roll-off was completely filled with metal objects including bicycles, lawn mowers, etc. A same-sized roll-off was filled with tires. One roll-off was filled with additional mattresses that would not fit in the compactor, back-load truck. Electronics were hauled away in the beds of pick-up trucks owned by DSI staff. The overwhelming amount of rubbish far exceeded all expectations. DSI continued to take rubbish until all roll-offs, trucks, and pick-ups were completely full. Resident households served: 39
At Florella’s the compactor truck was filled again. Metal, tires and electronics were removed by DSI staff separately. Resident households Served: 13
The Total Cost of the Fall Clean-Up is as follows:
Spanish Translation $ 29.00
Coffee/Donuts $ 22.96
Work Gloves $ 20.94
DSI $ 4,585.61
Rice Co Landfill $ 680.32
Total $ 5,338.83
ANALYSIS:
The overall project was very successful. The amount of rubbish removed and total costs exceeded DSI’s estimates. In only 2 ½ hours all roll-offs/trucks were completely filled at Viking Terrace.
DSI’s suggestion to do the entire Fall Clean up in 4 hours saved labor expenses and created a sense of urgency for the residents to be prepared. The total amount of rubbish removed serves as proof of the need for this type of event.
Another DSI suggestion to use volunteer labor not only saved money, it also allowed the rubbish to be unloaded, site sorted and placed in the correct container, in a very limited amount of time. DSI charges $175 per hour, per worker. The total labor bill for DSI was $2,100 for 3 persons working 4 hours each, or 12 hours. NUY provided 5 volunteers who worked 4 hours each for a total of 20 hours. If DSI had provided these 5 additional workers it would have cost an additional $3,500. Utilizing an average value of volunteer labor of $26.00 per hour, the HRA might consider a donation of $520 to the NUY.
Although the total costs exceeded the budgeted amount by $838.83, the overall positive impact on residents and on the area is evident. Residents expressed their appreciation for the event and for the HRA as volunteers and DSI staff removed items from their vehicles.
OPTIONS:
The HRA to consider repeating the Fall Clean Up Event at Viking Terrace and Florella’s in 2019. An estimate of costs for a 2019 event would be $5,000 - $6,000. Due to the success of the 2018 event, a similar event next year may attract additional residents who did not participate this year. Or, perhaps so much rubbish was removed this year, there will be less next year.
RECOMMENDATION:
The HRA should consider supporting another Fall Clean Up day at Viking Terrace and Florella’s in 2019. The HRA should consider the donation of an additional $520.00 to the NUY Key Improvement Fund. The HRA should consider approval of the $838.83 cost overage for the 2018 Fall Clean Up.