Mr. NATCHER. First, Mr. Orndorff, discuss with us the increase of $456,381 and 46 additional positions for the street-cleaning branch as outlined on 27-27 and 27-28. Discuss that with us, please.

JUSTIFICATIONS FOR POSITIONS FOR THE STREET-CLEANING BRANCH

Mr. ORNDORFF. Yes, sir.

We have a problem in keeping the streets of the city in the condition that we all know should exist. We do not have the manpower and the funds to do this. Some of our streets are cleaned daily, some twice a week. This is in commercial areas and on arterial highways. As a rule, the residential streets are cleaned on a 5- to 6-week frequency. This is the best we can do with the funds that we have. It is totally inadequate. We would like to embark on this program which at the end of 3 years would halve that frequency, so that we would clean residential streets and alleys at 2- to 3-week intervals. I would point out that with the changing conditions, the increase of street areas to be cleaned, the general increase of litter on the streets, we have had no increase in street-cleaning forces since 1957. We had an increase of nine positions that year, which was the first since 1952. We have a chart showing the increase in length of streets, if you care to look at it.

These photos show a development which contributes to the load on the street-cleaning forces. Even where we do not have much additional street-cleaning area we have channelizations and developments of this kind, separations of roadways, that add to the mileage of gutters to be swept. We have an increase since 1957 from 1,459 curb-miles to 1,594 curb-miles. That is an increase of 13 percent, whereas we had an increase of only 2 percent in street-cleaning employees. In roadway miles we have had an increase from 906 to 1,031, which is an increase of 14 percent, and again an increase of 2 percent in the number of employees. So this amount of $450,092 is for manpower and equipment, the first year of a 3-year program to get us in position to do the job that we recognize should be done.

Mr. NATCHER. Mr. Orndorff, I note from the justifications a statement to the effect that heavy parking of cars at the curb constitutes a severe handicap to the mechanization of this work and reliance is placed upon considerable use of hand patrol. I am just wondering now if you are giving any consideration at all to the New York system prohibiting parking on one side of a street for several hours on alternate days so that the streets may be cleaned. Have you thought about that any?

Mr. ÖRNDORFF. Yes, sir.

Mr. NATCHER. What do you want to say to us about this?

Mr. ORNDORFF. We have not reached any conclusion. We are embarked on a comprehensive study of all of the operations of sanitation, including street cleaning. In fact, we are talking to the Office of Solid Wastes of the Public Health Service about some help on this, to make a very thorough study of possible improvements in street-cleaning methods and equipment. This is certainly a field that we would explore very thoroughly, because, obviously, the more equipment we can use to advantage, as opposed to hand labor, the more we accomplish with a given amount of money.

Mr. NATCHER. The committee will stand adjourned until 7 o'clock tomorrow night.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1966.

THREE-YEAR PLAN OF STREET CLEANING PROGRAM

Mr. NATCHER. Now, Mr. Orndorff, when we adjourned we were discussing the additional positions necessary for the street-cleaning branch. I note the increase requested is for the first stage of what is to be a 3-year program?

Mr. ORNDORFF. That is right.

Mr. NATCHER. What do you ultimately contemplate so far as this program is concerned, Mr. Orndorff, so far as time, number, and amounts are concerned? Can you give us an idea as to where you contemplate?

Mr. ORNDORFF. Yes, sir. As to time, it is a 3-year program, as you say. The first year is set up for $450,092. The second year would be $778,474. The third year, which would be 1969, is $1,106,474. Then in 1970 there will be a recurring amount of $906,474 plus a 3-month funding of positions carried over from 1969, for a total of $979,474.

As I mentioned on Monday, the purpose is to increase the frequency of street cleaning in residential streets from the present 5-6 week schedule to a 2-3 week schedule.

In number of employees we will add 56 in 1967 and 56 in 1968. We will add 54 in 1969.

ADDITIONAL POSITIONS FOR TRASH COLLECTION AND INCINERATION

Mr. NATCHER. Under the $88,855 increase for trash collection and incineration, I believe you are requesting 18 additional positions. Is that correct?

Mr. ORNDORFF. Yes, sir.

Mr. NATCHER. Explain this for us, please.

Mr. ORNDORFF. This is subdivided in the budget into two categories, one for increased maintenance personnel of 5 employees, and another for increased operating staff of 13 employees.

I would like to consider them together as one unit because the purpose is the same.

ADDITIONAL INCINERATOR

The committee allowed us last year funds to construct an additional incinerator. We now have four. We are to construct No. 5. Mr. NATCHER. Right at that point, the fifth one which you are discussing with the committee, is this the one you tried to construct at St. Elizabeths?

Mr. ORNDORFF. That is right.

Mr. NATCHER. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare turned that down and refused to go along?

Mr. ORNDORFF. Yes, sir.

Mr. NATCHER. Where do you propose constructing that now, Mr. Orndorff?

Mr. ORNDORFF. This was a fairly recent development. The turndown from St. Elizabeths came about and now we are searching and reviewing all of the sites which we had considered before. The selection at St. Elizabeths was based on a very exhaustive survey which we, in collaboration with the Planning Commission staff, made. We are now in the process of reviewing all of those suggestions and searching out any other ones.

PROPOSAL CONCERNING THE CITY DUMP

Mr. NATCHER. While we are discussing this particular matter, I wonder if you could talk to us a little about proposals concerning the city dump? I believe you have matters underway along this line? Mr. ORNDORFF. Yes, sir.

Mr. NATCHER. What do you have in mind?

Mr. ORNDORFF. That is the immediate subject of this item. In the absence of incinerator No. 5, we must burn the quantity of trash which represents the excess over the present incinerator capacity in the open at Kenilworth. This makes a very bad situation both in the city and in some of the surrounding jurisdictions.

Mr. NATCHER. It is a difficult problem to solve, is it, Mr. Orndorff? Mr. ORNDORFF. In any short period of time, it is.

DEFICIT IN INCINERATOR CAPACITY

Facing this situation we are endeavoring to see what we can do to at least alleviate the condition. That is why we have this item in the budget. It is to increase the burning capacity of the existing incinerators.

Last year the city produced 457,000 tons of trash. Our theoretical incinerator capacity is 429,000 tons, so that, on this basis, we should have had to burn in the open 28,000 tons.

Actually the amount incinerated in 1965 was 367,000 tons. We burned in the open 90,000 tons.

This deficit în incinerator capacity is due, to a considerable degree, to inadequate staffing for maintenance and operation of the existing incinerators.

In the 4 existing incinerators we have 14 furnaces, and we should be able to operate 105,458 furnace hours during the year.

During 1965 we lost 5,858 of those furance hours due to insufficient personnel for maintenance and operation. This is the equivalent of losing all of our incinerators for 16 days.

Mr. NATCHER. Are the 18 employees now necessary at this time, the additional employees to be used in trash collection?

Mr. ORNDORFF. In incineration only, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. NATCHER. I see.

Mr. ORNDORFF. We have now 201 employees engaged in the incineration activity.

Mr. NATCHER. You feel they are necessary at this time?

Mr. ORNDORFF. In order to secure best utilization of the existing incinerators.

Mr. NATCHER. What wage bracket would they be in, Mr. Orndorff? Mr. ORNDORFF. Mostly WBR-3.

Mr. NATCHER. Which has a starting salary of how much?

Mr. ORNDORFF. A little over $2 an hour.