Score: +2 (3/4/1)

San Diego County Grand Jury • 2016-2017

Broken Garbage Cans, City Apathy, Free Cans for a Few – What a Mess!

Published: March 22, 2017 14 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 7 findings

F01

Some San Diego City Councilmembers are using questionable procedures to provide free replacement refuse bins that appear to violate Council Policy 100-06 and Waste Management Regulation R-009-10. Fact: More than 11,000 black refuse bins were replaced and paid for by homeowners in the last fiscal year. Fact: Several hundred homeowners who live in three council districts paid nothing for their replacement refuse bins in the last fiscal year.

F02

Programs used by three San Diego City Council districts to provide free replacement refuse bins are inequitable. Fact: A majority of black refuse bins now in use in the City of San Diego are beyond their normal service life.

F03

A majority of black refuse bins now in use in the City of San Diego are damaged and should be replaced. Fact: San Diego relies on the City of Los Angeles to select suitable refuse bins and automated collection vehicles. Fact: San Diego does not independently test refuse bins and collection vehicles.

F04

The City of San Diego fails to select the best refuse collection equipment and bins by simply choosing to select the least expensive. Fact: The number of complaints of City trucks damaging refuse bins has nearly doubled in three years.

F05

The City of San Diego needs to improve the maintenance and repair of aging refuse collection vehicles and lift arms. Fact: Repair and maintenance of fire trucks at the ESD Miramar Operations Center has priority over repair and maintenance of automated refuse collection trucks. Fact: Repair and maintenance of automated refuse collection trucks is relegated to the new hires and least-experienced mechanics.

F06

Repair and maintenance of automated refuse collection trucks is negatively impacted by having to share space and personnel dedicated to fire trucks. Fact: The ESD must maintain an expensive fleet of automated refuse collection trucks in reserve because of frequent breakdowns. Fact: There are many days when dozens of automated refuse collection trucks are listed in nonoperational status with most waiting for repairs or maintenance.

F07

Not enough mechanics are assigned to repair and maintenance of automated refuse collection trucks.

Recommendations 7

17-11
Page 12

damaged refuse collection bins beyond their normal service life, as
17-12
Page 12

Amend Council Policy 100-06 to more clearly define what CPPS funds
17-13
Page 13

Establish a process to provide oversight of CPPS spending.
17-14
Page 13

Urge the Fleet Services Department to speed up the process of moving
17-15
Page 13

Advise the Environmental Services Department to develop
17-16
Page 13

Urge the Fleet Services Department to improve repair and
17-17
Page 13

Advise the Fleet Services Department to provide a sufficient number

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Mayor of San Diego

∼ June 30, 2017 • 5 pages • 8 responses • Score: +2 (+3, 4, -1) View Details ▾

PDF

8 responses to findings and recommendations

F03

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Partially Disagree. As of March 23, 2017 the average age of a refuse (black) container in service in the City of San Diego is 13 years. Of the approximately 343,600 refuse containers in use, 233,700, or 68%, are beyond their industry standard 10-year useful life. The City has no information on how many of the refuse containers currently in service are damaged. Residents are required to replace damaged refuse containers that are no longer serviceable with City-approved replacement containers. See attached Waste Management Regulation C-010-14.

F04

Response: Disagree Score: -1

Disagree. 202 C STREET, 11TH FLOOR • SAN DIEGO, CA 92101 The City of San Diego has a comprehensive list of specifications that refuse collection vehicle equipment providers must meet in order to be eligible for consideration in the procurement process. Vehicle specifications from the City of San Diego's Invitation to Bid (ITB 10057689-15-R) for Automated Refuse Packers cover 54 components such as: performance specifications to assure that 1200 to 1400 daily service stops on varying inclines can be serviced; legal payload capacity; turbocharged engine; fuel type; muffler system meeting Califor...

F05

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree. During the FY 2016 adopted budget the Fleet Operations Department added 24 positions to support all aspects of the maintenance and repair services and to enhance customer service and vehicle availability (decreasing vehicle down-time). In FY 2016, the Fleet Department's staff vacancies was approximately 20%. As of May 2017 vacancies in the Department were approximately 12%. This reduction in vacancies represents an increase of more than 40,000 additional labor hours over a 12 month period. As a result of the increased staffing and enhanced customer service, the daily vehicle availabilit...

F06

Response: Agree Score: +1

Agree. On April 18, 2017 the San Diego City Council passed Ordinance 20815 authorizing a long term lease at 7950, 8048-8050 Othello Avenue to accommodate the maintenance and repair of Fire Apparatus. Additionally, the City has dedicated $6.5 million in estimated costs for the tenant improvements and building modifications in the FY 2018 Budget, which received final City Council approval in June, 2017. The Fleet Operations Department estimates operations can commerce on the sale in early 2018.

F07

Not enough mechanics are assigned to repair and maintenance of automated refuse collection trucks.

Response: Agree Score: +1

17-14

Urge the Fleet Services Department to speed up the process of moving

Response: Implemented

Scheduled: FY 2018 Score: 0

The recommendation has been implemented. On April 18, 2017 the San Diego City Council passed Ordinance 20815 authorizing a long term lease at 7950, 8048-8050 Othello Avenue to accommodate the maintenance and repair of Fire Apparatus. The City has dedicated $6.5 million in estimated costs for the tenant improvements and building modifications in the FY 2018 Budget, which received final City Council approval in June, 2017. The Fleet Operations Department estimates operations can commerce on the sale in early 2018. Recommendations 17-15: Advise the Environmental Services Department to develop spe...

17-16

Urge the Fleet Services Department to improve repair and

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

The recommendation has been implemented. The City is maintaining the refuse collection vehicle (Packers) to the specifications, as outlined by the manufacturers; however, the City acknowledges that the vehicles are heavily used. The Packers are highly complex vehicles containing multipart electrical, mechanical, air and hydraulic systems. The Packers must be capable of handling heavy loads, transferring solids and liquids, and operating up to six days a week in all conditions throughout the City's 372 square miles. The arms that lift the bins are complex mechanisms containing numerous sensors,...

17-17

Advise the Fleet Services Department to provide a sufficient number

Response: Implemented

Scheduled: FY 2016 Score: 0

The recommendation has been implemented. During the FY 2016 adopted budget the Fleet Operations Department added 24 positions to support all aspects of the maintenance and repair services and to enhance customer service and vehicle availability (decreasing vehicle down-time). In FY 2016, the Fleet Department's staff vacancies was approximately 20%. As of May 2017 vacancies in the Department were approximately 12%. This reduction in vacancies represents an increase of more than 40,000 additional labor hours over a 12 month period. As a result of the increased staffing and enhanced customer serv...