Columbus, Georgia

NOTICE







Tree collection is NOT part of normal solid waste collection services. If you

would like for the City to collect and dispose of the tree set out, please call

653-4000 and request for a special pick up. The tree will be picked up for a

$50.00 collection fee plus disposal cost of $14.00 per ton. You will be billed

separately for this service.

Please allow one (1) week for the service to be completed.

If you elect not to have the City collect the tree set out, please remove or

have the tree removed within 10 days of this notice.



TREE COLLECTION FOLLOW UP BRIEFING



n July 29 work session provided data pertaining to City Wide Tree Collection

and three (3) collection options (copy provided).



n August 26 work session provided collection survey data from other cities; fee

options and collection options (copy provided).



n Today you have collection fees of cities surveyed and information pertaining

to our recommendation.



o Collection service can be provided for a fee without increase in personnel

and equipment.

o Fee will be our cost to provide the service.

o Service can be provided on maintenance day or Saturday; this will require

overtime for operators.

o Our estimate for the service is $50.00 per pick up plus $14.00 per ton

disposal cost.



n How would the service be provided?



o Customer informed by notice of option to use the city service or private

contractor (sample notice provided).

o If city services are requested, it will be completed within seven (7) days of

request.

o Billing for service will be through Finance Central Collections.



n RECOMMENDATION:



o That we conduct a 6 month pilot collection service for a fee.

o That the fee be established at $50.00 per pick up plus $14.00 per ton

disposal fee.







LIMBS AND TREES COLLECTION IN OTHER CITIES









Albany, Ga. ?Collects brush and limbs only, no size restrictions. Resident can

take tree logs and stump to the landfill at no cost.



Athens/Clark County Ga.? Collects brush and limbs only, limbs must be cut to 6

feet in length and no larger than 4 inches in diameter. Trees downed by a storm

may be put out for collection at a charge of $35.00 plus $14.00 per ton

disposal fee.



Dekalb County, Ga. ? Collects brush, limbs and logs (logs must not weigh more

than 50 lbs.). Any pile of debris that does not meet specifications will incur

a charge of $100.00.



Macon, Ga. ? Collects brush and limbs only. No logs or stumps. Limbs must be

cut to 4 feet in length and be no larger than 4 inches in diameter for

collection.



Marietta, Ga. ? Collects brush and limbs only. No logs or stumps. Limbs must be

cut to 4 feet in length and no larger than 4 inches in diameter for collection.

Large piles over 200 cubic feet incur a charge of $100.00.



Valdosta, Ga. ? Collects brush and limbs only. No logs or stumps. Limbs must be

cut to 4 feet in length and be no larger than 4 inches in diameter for

collection. Brush must be in bundles that weigh no more than 35 lbs. large

piles $20.00, full truck $45.00 and if an additional trailer is needed $90.00.



Auburn, Ala. ? Collects brush and limbs only, not over 5 cubic yards

(6?x6?x4?). No

Logs or stumps. Over 5 cubic yards must pay $25.00 up to ? trailer, $50.00 full

trailer and $25.00 for return trip.



Dothan, Ala. - Collects logs, brush and limbs must be cut in 6 feet in length

for collection. No stumps. No additional charges. (Do pick up trees except

stumps)



Opelika, Ala. ? Will pick up tree logs, limbs, stumps and brush only if cut

down by the resident. Tree services must remove their own. No additional

charges.







Presented to Council on August 26, 2003

TREE COLLECTION FEE OPTIONS







? Add cost to current garbage collection fee.



Everyone pays, users and non-users.

Easy to administer no additional administration required.



? Fee for service to users.



Only users pay for service.

Additional administration required.

ustomers? dissatisfaction, many customers? feel this service should be provided

with current garbage collection fee.



? Types of fee for service.



By the cubic yard.

By the hour.

By the pound.



? Implementing a voucher system.



Very difficult to administer and control.









Page 2

TREE COLLECTION OPTIONS





1. Maintain current policy:



Customer dissatisfaction.

No additional equipment or personnel required.



2. Collect trees from storms:



Staff cannot distinguish trees put out from storms or other trees.

Other trees put out that are not picked up will generate customer

dissatisfaction.

This will delay normal collection and require overtime. If overtime cannot meet

the requirement, additional equipment and personnel will be required.



3. Collect trees cut by the property owner:



Staff cannot distinguish trees cut by property owner from trees cut by

contractors.

Trees put out by contractors and not pick up will generate customer?s

dissatisfaction.

Collection personnel will collect most trees put out.

Additional equipment and personnel will be required.



4. Collect all trees put out:



Additional equipment and personnel will be required.

No customer dissatisfaction.





RECOMMENDATION: Council supports the current policy.

Staff continues to educate customers

on the policy.



Page 3





Presented to Council on July 22, 2003

CITY WIDE TREES AND LIMB PICK UP

ESTIMATED COST



EQUIPMENT:

PERSONNEL:





3 Grab-alls $223,000 4

Operators $130,000

1 Heavy Loader $105,000 1

Supervisor $35,000

1 Pick up Truck $16,000



Total (Equipment)$344,000 Total (Salary

& Benefits) $165,000



Heavy Loader is needed to remove large tree trunks.



MAINTENANCE:



$39,000



START UP COST: $548,000 SUBSEQUENT YEAR COST: $210,120 Plus an

estimated 3% annual cost increases.





DISCUSSION:



We contacted tree service companies listed in the yellow pages for information

on

the number of trees cut annually. (Estimated 8,000).



One Grab-All can remove approximately 13 trees during a 10-hour day. Eight

Thousand (8,000) trees divided by 208 collection days = 38.46 trees to be

removed daily divided by 3 Grab-Alls = 12.8 trees per Grab-All, per day.



Note: To provide this additional service, an increase in the garbage

collection service fee will be required. One dollar ($1.00) per month generates

approximately $600,000.



Another important issue to consider is the effect this additional service will

have on our inert landfills. Most trees now removed by tree services are not

disposed of in our inert sites. If we begin to pick up all trees put out for

collection, the life expectancy of our inert landfills will be decreased from

10-12 years to 8-9 years. When our current sites are filled, there will be

additional cost (an increase in garbage collection fee) to compost yard waste.



There are three options for removing trees:



One: Maintain current policy.

Two: Remove all limbs six inches in diameter or smaller.

Three: Remove all limbs and tree trunks put out for collection.



The associated cost for these options is attached.



REMINDER: In 2005, the cost of liability insurance will be added to the

operational cost which will require a fee increase.



OPTION I



- MAINTAIN CURRENT POLICY



- LIMITED CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION



- COST OF OPERATION $14.00



- CURRENT FEE $14.00





OPTION II





- PICK UP ALL LIMBS 6? IN DIAMETER OR SMALLER



- LIMITED CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION



- ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL



- TOTAL START UP COST $374,425



- SUBSEQUENT YEAR COST $161,750



- INCREASE GARBAGE COLLECTION FEE TO $14.75







OPTION III



- PICK UP ALL LIMBS & TREE TRUNKS



- NO CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION



- ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL



- TOTAL START UP COST $548,000



- SUBSEQUENT YEAR COST $210,120



- INCREASE GARBAGE COLLECTION FEE TO $15.00