Question: I live in the Halawa area where our green bin hasn’t been picked up for over a month. Meanwhile, they missed the blue bin pickup twice already. What happens to the drivers when they don’t make their rounds? Do they get paid for those days when the trucks are broken? What do they do?
Answer: Operators without trucks available to service a route get paid if they show up for work. But they are not necessarily idle.
Markus Owens, spokesman for the city Department of Environmental Services, said that if an operator reports to work and has no operable truck, he waits at the base yard for a truck that comes either out of the repair shop or a truck that has already completed another route.
"If no truck becomes available for the entire day, the operator is paid for waiting for a truck and leaves the workplace at the end of his shift," he said.
However, a "standby operator" is assigned to shuttle trucks to and from repair shops as well as to pick up truck parts.
Owens said some trucks are doing double shifts, while some drivers with operable trucks may be doing double shifts as well when the base yards are short of trucks. Operators from other base yards also pitch in after completing their assigned routes, he said.
Regarding delays in picking up the green (green waste) and blue (mixed recyclables) bins, he said the department is giving priority to regular trash pickup (gray bins) "for obvious reasons."
"Furthermore, crews are trying to collect as many blue and green carts as possible without falling behind with the gray ones," he said. Residents may take blue-cart material to a recycler or a community white bin, while green-cart material may be composted or taken to Hawaiian Earth Products in Kailua or Kapolei, he said.
Question: A few weeks ago ("Kokua Line," Oct. 4), someone asked about having a second disabled parking placard. The answer was that it was too costly to keep issuing two placards. I, too, have a second car and many times forget to take the placard when I switch cars. I am willing to pay for another one. Is it possible?
Answer: No. Only one six-year placard is "permitted," said Francine Wai, executive director of the state Disability and Communications Access Board.
But, as explained previously, you do have the option of getting a special license plate for one of the cars for a $5.50 fee.
However, someone who qualifies for a temporary placard, issued to people whose disability is expected to last one to six months, is able to get a second one. Each temporary placard has a $12 fee.
More information is available via 586-8121, dcab@doh.hawaii.gov or hawaii.gov/health/dcab/home/index.htm.
MAHALO
To the Pearl City police. We have called them over the years for different security problems. Each time, the officers have responded promptly and dealt with us efficiently, professionally and compassionately. Bad guys in Pearl City had better be on their guard! — Appreciative Residents
AUWE
To unsupervised kids. During the public school fall break, a bunch of kids walked into our business. I confronted them, but one child continued to go farther into the warehouse until his high school friend called him back. Looking at our surveillance video, I saw they had taken two fire extinguishers, firing one at a passing vehicle. We filed a police report but were told that if caught, parents pick up the kids and nothing more is done. Businesses and people need to beware, especially when schools are not in session. Students are not being monitored by families. Perhaps more funding is needed to provide activities during school breaks. This affects the whole community. Be aware: Winter break for the Hawaii Department of Education is Dec. 16 through Jan. 3. — Concerned Citizen
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