CITY COUNCIL Rolling off the trash

The WMA contract also is up for a vote.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- An ordinance to be considered by city council at its meeting tonight would put the city in the roll-off trash container business.
Under the ordinance, the city, through its environmental services department, would charge $100 for a 10-cubic-yard container and $130 for a 15-cubic-yard container per week for collection of construction and demolition debris.
The rates would increase for municipal solid waste to $200 and $250 per week for a 10-cubic-yard and 15-cubic-yard container, respectively.
The city already purchased the roll-off containers, said Councilman James A. "Doc" Pugh, D-6th, legislation sponsor at a finance committee meeting Tuesday. "It won't cost us anything."
Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at large, said he wants more information including whether the change would require additional manpower and who are the prospective customers.
"I don't feel any government agency should be in private business, and that's what this is," he said.
Pugh said there isn't a lot of work to it, so additional manpower isn't required. Workers just drop off and pick up the containers, he said.
"It's a very profitable business," Pugh said "This is a very favorable proposition for us to get into."
WMA contract
Also at tonight's meeting, council is expected to vote on a contract with the Warren Management Association. The proposed agreement was presented to council at a meeting last month, giving members 30 days to act or the contract takes effect.
The contract would increase city managers' pay 3.5 percent this year and in 2005, and 2 percent in 2006. The union includes 23 members.
The agreement also calls for the contract to be reopened if the union representing police officers receives pension pickup.
WMA members' pay ranges from $51,251 for the assistant auditorium manager for W.D. Packard Music Hall, planning coordinator, water pollution control and water maintenance supervisors, water operations supervisor and water office manager, to $71,760 for the community development director and director of the engineering, planning and building department.
The proposed contract also calls for standby pay for union members. Hourly employees who are required by the safety-service director to carry a pager would be paid an additional two hours at time and a half their weekly rate.
Salaried employees required to carry a pager would be paid an additional two hours of pay per week at their straight-time rate.
denise_dick@vindy.com