Health Director Michael Suckau said employee contracts require overtime for Saturday hours at the transfer station.
The Twiss Street Municipal Transfer Station and Recycling Center in Westfield.WESTFIELD – The City Council wants upgrades and expanded public hours at the city’s Twiss Street transfer station.
That was the message they gave Health Director Michael Suckau during a recent City Council meeting at City Hall.
Several councilors stated they want the department to follow through on its approval two years ago of upgrading the facility, seeking expansion of the amount of trash disposed of there, constructing a gate house at its entrance, better monitoring of users of the facility and expanding hours especially on Saturdays.
The facility is open from 7 to 11:45 a.m. on Saturdays which Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Crean said is insufficient to meet public needs.
At-Large Councilor David A. Flaherty also suggested that if necessary a $2 convenience fee should be established to accommodate longer weekend hours and consideration should be given to closing the facility one weekday to allow longer Saturday hours.
Suckau said employee contracts require overtime for Saturday hours at the transfer station. He also reported an intention to seek new state permits to allow disposal of up to 150 tons of trash per day and said he supports creation of a sticker system that will control public access to the facility.
Crean and other councilors argued that employees should be assigned to monitor access to the station and that construction of a gate is a priority.
“Consider rotating shifts as a way to avoid overtime but additional hours for public use is a necessity,” said Councilor Brent B. Bean II.
Crean, who led an ad hoc committee last year that considered privatization of trash collection, said the city is losing funds because of the lack of gate monitoring and needs at the transfer station. The ad hoc committee rejected privatization which led to City Council approval of bonding for construction of a gate and additional facilities at Twiss Street.
Suckau, who was appointed health director in January 2011, said he will meet with Mayor Daniel M. Knapik on staffing and other needs at the facility and report progress to the council.