Yard Waste Update for City Residents: Press Release
For Immediate Release –June 17, 2021
Media Contacts:
Randy Osterman, City Manager – 843-665-3113 or rosterman@cityofflorence.com
Chuck Pope, Public Works Director – 843-665-3236 or cpope@cityofflorence.com
Jennifer Krawiec, Human Resources Director – 843-665-3158 or jkrawiec@cityofflorence.com
FLORENCE, SC – Yard Waste Update for City Residents:
In response to inquiries about residential yard waste collection, we apologize for delays in service and any inconvenience this has created for our customers. Like many other service-related businesses, the City of Florence continues to experience issues with hiring and retaining personnel in all areas including our Sanitation Division.
The Division currently has multiple vacancies and is working diligently to recruit and hire additional employees. The City utilizes seven garbage trucks for both residential garbage and yard waste collection. When all trucks and work crews are fully staffed, five of these trucks are used for garbage collection and two are used for yard waste collection daily. When staffing is so limited that we must choose, the City’s top priority must be to provide garbage service for our citizens.
Due to the current number of vacancies, we have been unable to maintain our regular schedule of collection for yard waste. We do have one truck specializing in collecting larger debris piles running daily; however, due to the number of collections throughout the city, we are also behind in this area.
We take this responsibility seriously and understand the frustration of our customers. Because of this, the City Sanitation Division, in partnership with the Human Resources Department, has been working to develop innovative hiring solutions such as holding a Public Works Hiring Event, increased advertising, and most recently we have teamed with temporary agencies seeking assistance. We are taking steps to recruit applicants for the vacant positions and get these positions filled as soon as possible. Once again, we apologize to our residents for the inconvenience and ask for your understanding during this time.
We request assistance from the community in filling vacant positions. If you or someone you know is in need of a job and would like information on current vacancies, please visit the City of Florence website, www.cityofflorence.com, contact the office at 843-665-3158, or plan to visit our next City-Wide Hiring Event on Friday, July 9, 2021 from 9:00am – 4:00pm in City Council Chambers at the City Center, 324 W. Evans Street.
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