Yet Another EAR/ONS Job Theory: Garbage Collector
Aug 2, 2017 0:54:52 GMT
trabuco and jackydee like this
Post by aroostookawestruck on Aug 2, 2017 0:54:52 GMT
I just learned about EAR/ONS a few months ago and have been lurking through this forum until now to present this theory. Although EAR/ONS could have plausibly worked many different occupations, a few facts about the Sacramento garbage collection during the mid to late 70’s could warrant a second look for possible POIs who had this job:
First Primary Source: Impact of User Charges on Management of Household Solid Waste, Volume 1, Section 6 (Available on Google Books for free)
Second Primary Source: Fair Oaks South Sacramento News, South Sacramento Reporter, Wednesday, July 27, 1977 (diagram: imgur.com/G9Lmo1M)
- During the mid 1970’s the City of Sacramento allowed for trash pickup from the side and backyard of houses rather than from the curbside (See article below). A garbage collector could get a pretty good view of the entire property when picking up garbage in such a manner (although about 50% of residents still opted for curbside pickup).
- During this time, there were 52 routes. A three-man crew worked each route in segments from Monday to Friday. In the mid 1970’s, the East Area specifically had its own section of garbage collectors consisting of 1 foreman, 11 truck drivers, and 22 refuse collectors. I would like to find out how often the foreman might change up the routes within a given section.
- Garbage collectors working for Sacramento were unionized at this time, apparently with the International Union of Operating Engineers, likely Local 3 or 39. These chapters comprise many occupations including construction. If EAR was a union member, he could have easily moved on to work construction, which some have theorized given the proximity of construction sites to other attacks outside of the East Area.
- Apparently, garbage at this time was not collected in bags but loose in the cans. EAR could have easily gleaned some information about his targets from dumpster diving or even have taken bills or correspondence wholesale.
- A public works department would almost certainly possess a Criss Cross or Polk directory providing information about the homeowner at a specific property, though I cannot say whether the average crew member could have easily gained access to one.
- EAR prowled and attacked within the East Area far more than within any other region. These actions could denote a level of familiarity he gathered from working as a garbage collector. It’s monotonous and repetitive work. It would allow for plenty of time to learn the layouts of streets, greenbelts, and bike paths. This could also explain how he was so familiar with the area without actually having ties to it. He would not even have to live anywhere particularly close to the East Area, just simply work there.
First Primary Source: Impact of User Charges on Management of Household Solid Waste, Volume 1, Section 6 (Available on Google Books for free)
Second Primary Source: Fair Oaks South Sacramento News, South Sacramento Reporter, Wednesday, July 27, 1977 (diagram: imgur.com/G9Lmo1M)
“New trash policy begins, can must be at the curb”
Next Monday, Aug. 1, garbage collection service will change for about 400,000 people living in single-family and duplex housing in the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County.
On that day, residents of communities in Carmichael, Orangevale, Citrus Heights, North Highlands, Fair Oaks, Rancho Cordova, Orangevale, Arden-Arcade, Rio Linda and South Sacramento must start placing their trash cans at a curbside location or their garbage won’t be collected.
The new policy was approved by the County Board of Supervisors in December, 1976, at the urging of Public Works Director Brian Richter, who asserted that curbside service would eliminate the need for garbage pickup rate increases for three years. Single family homes are now charged $ 4.80 a month for service.
The curbside setout applies only to county residents who receive a bill from the County of Sacramento.
"The impact of the change in service will be softened because most residents of the unincorporated area already use the street curb when placing bundled or containerized refuse out on collection day,” County Solid Waste Management Division Chief Hilary Theisen noted last week.
Theisen added that a survey completed in 1975 showed that more than 50 per cent of the residents were placing all wastes at the curb and not using the convenience of leaving two cans in a backyard location.
"This was one of the reasons why a successful service change could be completed in the community,” Theisen said. "A second reason was savings to the customer. In another survey more than 80 per cent of the 23,000 respondents chose curbside service providing that cost savings could be achieved.”
Aged and handicapped residents have had to file applications with the Public Department of Public Works to be exempt from the new ordinance and so far, about 1,600 exemptions have been granted. The exemptions will amount to about 1.6 per cent of the 100,000 accounts in the service area.
"The cost reductions with curbside service are significant,” says Theisen.
The programs will result in a first-year cost reduction of $ 696,000. In addition, the Department of Public Works will use 16 fewer trucks to collect the garbage. These savings are possible because the productivity of each two-man crew will be increased about 36 per cent, Theisen reports. No existing employe [sic] will be laid off, though many will be transferred to other tasks, including work at the County’s two refuse transfer stations.
Three activities for reassigned employes [sic] will be the Fruitridge Transfer Station, the metal salvage and sale program, and the newspaper recovery and sale program.
"The cost reductions will offset completely the approximate 10 per cent increase in labor and equipment costs during the past year," Theisen added, “and there will be no rate increase for unincorporated area residents in 1977.
"
The Department of Public Works has advised that if residents forget to set their cans at the curb and have no exemption, they will have to haul them to one of the country transfer stations (4640 Roseville Road or 8560 Fruitridge Road) where it can be dumped for $1.
What the can handlers want: The following checklist has been issued by the County Department of Public Works in regard to their new policy of mandatory curbside garbage pickup:
• Place all containers and bundled refuse within 5 feet of a traveled roadway but not in the street or so that cans block the sidewalk;
• Do not put any wet garbage (food wastes) in plastic bags at the curb;
• Place all containers so they are visible from the street (keep clear of parked cars);
• Place all containers out before 5:30 a.m. on the day of collection;
• If your garbage cans are not emptied then check with a neighbor since the collection crews might miss an entire street;
• Call the refuse service number (363-6531) if you have placed your cans at curbside before 5:30 a.m. and the cans have not been emptied;
• ’Please be patient when calling since there might be many calls and some waiting for a clear line;
• If you forget to set out the garbage cans and they must be emptied before the next scheduled collection then you should haul the garbage to one of the county transfer stations where it can be dumped for a $1 charge (empty the garbage cans into plastic bags if cans don't fit in your car)
• North Transfer Station, 4640 Roseville Road or South Transfer Station, 8550 Fruitridge Road.
Next Monday, Aug. 1, garbage collection service will change for about 400,000 people living in single-family and duplex housing in the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County.
On that day, residents of communities in Carmichael, Orangevale, Citrus Heights, North Highlands, Fair Oaks, Rancho Cordova, Orangevale, Arden-Arcade, Rio Linda and South Sacramento must start placing their trash cans at a curbside location or their garbage won’t be collected.
The new policy was approved by the County Board of Supervisors in December, 1976, at the urging of Public Works Director Brian Richter, who asserted that curbside service would eliminate the need for garbage pickup rate increases for three years. Single family homes are now charged $ 4.80 a month for service.
The curbside setout applies only to county residents who receive a bill from the County of Sacramento.
"The impact of the change in service will be softened because most residents of the unincorporated area already use the street curb when placing bundled or containerized refuse out on collection day,” County Solid Waste Management Division Chief Hilary Theisen noted last week.
Theisen added that a survey completed in 1975 showed that more than 50 per cent of the residents were placing all wastes at the curb and not using the convenience of leaving two cans in a backyard location.
"This was one of the reasons why a successful service change could be completed in the community,” Theisen said. "A second reason was savings to the customer. In another survey more than 80 per cent of the 23,000 respondents chose curbside service providing that cost savings could be achieved.”
Aged and handicapped residents have had to file applications with the Public Department of Public Works to be exempt from the new ordinance and so far, about 1,600 exemptions have been granted. The exemptions will amount to about 1.6 per cent of the 100,000 accounts in the service area.
"The cost reductions with curbside service are significant,” says Theisen.
The programs will result in a first-year cost reduction of $ 696,000. In addition, the Department of Public Works will use 16 fewer trucks to collect the garbage. These savings are possible because the productivity of each two-man crew will be increased about 36 per cent, Theisen reports. No existing employe [sic] will be laid off, though many will be transferred to other tasks, including work at the County’s two refuse transfer stations.
Three activities for reassigned employes [sic] will be the Fruitridge Transfer Station, the metal salvage and sale program, and the newspaper recovery and sale program.
"The cost reductions will offset completely the approximate 10 per cent increase in labor and equipment costs during the past year," Theisen added, “and there will be no rate increase for unincorporated area residents in 1977.
"
The Department of Public Works has advised that if residents forget to set their cans at the curb and have no exemption, they will have to haul them to one of the country transfer stations (4640 Roseville Road or 8560 Fruitridge Road) where it can be dumped for $1.
What the can handlers want: The following checklist has been issued by the County Department of Public Works in regard to their new policy of mandatory curbside garbage pickup:
• Place all containers and bundled refuse within 5 feet of a traveled roadway but not in the street or so that cans block the sidewalk;
• Do not put any wet garbage (food wastes) in plastic bags at the curb;
• Place all containers so they are visible from the street (keep clear of parked cars);
• Place all containers out before 5:30 a.m. on the day of collection;
• If your garbage cans are not emptied then check with a neighbor since the collection crews might miss an entire street;
• Call the refuse service number (363-6531) if you have placed your cans at curbside before 5:30 a.m. and the cans have not been emptied;
• ’Please be patient when calling since there might be many calls and some waiting for a clear line;
• If you forget to set out the garbage cans and they must be emptied before the next scheduled collection then you should haul the garbage to one of the county transfer stations where it can be dumped for a $1 charge (empty the garbage cans into plastic bags if cans don't fit in your car)
• North Transfer Station, 4640 Roseville Road or South Transfer Station, 8550 Fruitridge Road.