- October 14, 2024
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How long will it take for all of the city’s debris to be collected? The city is aiming for Nov. 23 — 50 days since collections began.
“We want to get this wrapped up with this first pass before Thanksgiving and get everybody’s lives back to normal,” said Ormond Beach Public Works Director Shawn Finley during the commission meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
Debris collection by the city’s hauler, Crowder Gulf, began on Oct. 5. As of Monday, Oct. 17, a total of 31,913 cubic yards of debris had been collected, and the city estimates there’s about 200,000 cubic yards of debris in total to collect.
Monday marked the highest volume of debris collected in the city — 4,760 cubic yards. This equates about 330 dump trucks worth of debris, Finley said.
The city is continuing its efforts to add more trucks, he added.
“One of the challenges we’ve had with this process is, unlike a lot of other hurricanes that hit Volusia and Flagler, Lee and Collier counties, this hurricane hit the entire state,” Finley said. “There’s a callout for trucks all over.”
According to a daily debris report provided to the city, Crowder Gulf has collected 607 loads. Eight trucks had been operating daily (save for Oct. 14 where seven trucks operated), and on Monday, they increased to 14.
It took 95 days to collect all debris in the city after Hurricane Matthew. For Irma, it took 73.
Finley estimates that, once all debris is picked up, the debris will be enough to fill the Jackie Robinson Ballpark at a height of 27.5 feet.
“We’re out there, we’re doing our best,” Finley said. “It’s a process and we really appreciate everybody’s patience and cooperation.”
An extra day of yard waste collection was added on Saturday last week and Finley foresees the same being done this week to help with bagged debris. Mayor Bill Partington thanked Finley for the update, saying that he is aware residents have begun calling with concerns.
“We’re ahead of where we’ve been with any other cleanup, which doesn’t make much difference to somebody if they’re staring at a pile every day they get up, but we will get there,” Partington said.
On Tuesday, Oct. 18, the City Commission unanimously approved via its consent agenda a collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Ormond Beach Firefighters’ Association Local 3499, which includes a wage increases totaling $500,000 for the city’s firefighters.
The new contract with the firefighters’ union had been in negotiations since February, and will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2025.
The contract calls for $270,000 for wage increases in fiscal year 2022-2023, as well as subsequent allocations of $110,000 and $100,000 in fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, respectively.
This breaks down to firefighters receiving a $1.53 an hour increase, or 8% increase, in this fiscal year. More pay increases, varying between 2% and 3.5%, are outlined in the agreement for the next two fiscal years.
In addition, the contract increases the incentive pay for firefighters certified to perform advanced life support from $5,000 to $8,000 per year.
The City Commission approved 4-1 a 3% rate increase for its Leisure Services fee. City Commissioner Rob Littleton voted against.
