The Columbia City Council has agreed to hold a work session to possibly overhaul the solid waste collection system, in response to a fervent debate that has erupted over issues such as fair pay and benefits for workers. “This has to be something that government gets right,” Mayor Brian Treece said during the council’s regular meeting Monday night. A date for the in-depth session wasn’t set.
The move comes two weeks after numerous concerns were raised by members of the public and the council over matters such as paid leave, health insurance, fair pay and a lack of a pathway for more temporary workers to become full-time. At the time, Treece directed City Manager John Glascock to resolve the issues. However, later Treece apologized to Glascock, saying he made a rash statement without all the information provided by city staff.
He said he hoped to wait for the new city manager, De’Carlon Seewood, to meet with a union representative before taking any action. Council member Matt Pitzer said he believes the city wouldn’t be able to fix the problem without addressing the root causes embedded in the solid waste collection system itself. “If we actually were listening to them, if we actually cared about their working conditions and their safety, we would get them off the back of the truck, we would get rid of this policy that makes them jump on and break their ankles, break their knees, and get cut,” Pitzer said.
Council member Betsy Peters favored a work session over an immediate motion. “I’d rather we look at all the options because I don’t want to go down one road, only to discover that we were short sighted – more than normal,” Peters said.