2026-10-13 - Property Management and Environmental Services Committee

00:00Miami.

00:08>> All right. Good afternoon,

00:09everyone. And is now to a

00:1001:00PM restart. The property

00:10management, Environmental

00:13Services Committee.

00:17So I called this committee to

00:18order first on the agenda.

00:21We have 2 briefings.

00:22An update on recycling outreach

00:25efforts. Dr Wittenberg.

00:26>> And Chair I want to add in

00:28here, I think oh, he's going to

00:29kick off this presentation with

00:31video and maybe even ended with

00:32the video. And that was really

00:34I think this committee had

00:36requested that the team do more

00:38videos, highlighting recycling

00:38efforts. And so I'm really

00:39proud of the team's work in

00:40making that happen.

00:41>> That's a good afternoon.

00:44Take away.

00:58>> But when you know the bases.

01:03People are cardboard.

01:21Recycling of Fort Worth is

01:24simple. When you know the

01:24bases, paper cardboard are some

01:25of the most common and most

01:29recyclable items in

01:29your home. We can recycle mail

01:33office paper newspapers in

01:36cardboard boxes but paper that

01:37gets wet, greasy food soil

01:39doesn't belong in the recycling

01:40cart paper towels and shredded

01:41paper should also stay out.

01:46Not all plastics are created

01:46equal. That many common

01:47containers can be recycled.

01:51Plastic bottles, jones and food

01:52containers are recyclable when

01:57they're and plastic bags.

01:58Plastic wrap to go boxes and

01:58towards should stay out of the

02:01recycling yard.

02:04Metal is one of the easiest

02:05materials to recycle aluminum

02:06cans and steal food cans belong

02:09in the

02:10recycling carts, scrap metal,

02:12cookware and metal hangers

02:13should not go in your recycling

02:13and take any scrap metal to the

02:16dropoff station, glass bottles

02:18and jars can be recycled, but

02:21not all glass belongs in

02:23the cart window. Glass mirrors

02:24and ceramics should stay out of

02:26the second car before you

02:27recycle. Remember, Sonny Simple

02:31words

02:31and see make sure bottles and

02:33containers are plenty of

02:35liquids and food clean. A

02:37quicker ends. Removes a

02:38leftover resident know deep

02:42cleaning

02:42and dry. What items, drip, dry

02:42or give them a quick change.

02:46Contamination happens with the

02:47wrong items, end up in the blue

02:51recycling cart, things like

02:52plastic bags, foods and liquids

02:55are just a few examples of

02:57items that are not accepted.

02:58Former cycling the footwork in

03:0110 years like cords hoses

03:02writes in textiles or items so

03:05out of the recycling cart

03:07as well when recycling is

03:08contaminated, it slows down

03:09sorting and can cause good

03:12recyclable us to be thrown

03:12away. You can help by sticking

03:13to accepted items in keeping

03:17them clean

03:17and dry before your collection

03:18will it starts with setting

03:21aside one car out the

03:22right play before it reaches

03:23the current. Make sure your

03:26recyclables are packed

03:27breakdown cardboard boxes to

03:27save space in keep items losing

03:30your card place. Your recycling

03:33cart at the curb. With the lid

03:33closed. Not nice. 2 feet away

03:37from other carts, not to waste

03:39bulk items or even obstructions

03:40like parked cars on mailboxes.

03:45When your car is set up

03:47properly. W and recycling

03:47trucks can easily collect it

03:48and take recyclables to the

03:49state-of-the-art recycling

03:52facility.

03:54Small recycling habits add up

03:54to a big impact for Fort Worth.

04:03>> Perfect.

04:03Thank you.

04:04>> And so kudos to Little

04:05McCartney are are

04:06communications coordinator and

04:06Kim guard that you saw as an

04:11All-Star in that video, we're

04:12really working hard to

04:12celebrate recycling and tell

04:13the story. You may recall.

04:13Last year we we kicked off with

04:14our new recycling facility with

04:16W M the state-of-the-art

04:19facility opened up last October

04:20and now we're one year in and

04:21we're excited to continue

04:22telling this story. Just a few

04:23slides this morning to kind of

04:24continue that of recycling as

04:27we look into November and

04:28America recycles day on the

04:31horizon.

04:34I just want to do a quick recap

04:36of our our overall concept is

04:37we just want to rethink the

04:37way that we take care of waste

04:40across Fort Worth. So whether

04:43this be Greenway, star guard

04:43ways to recycle, you always

04:44want to reconsider how we're

04:46taking care of that material.

04:47Talk a little bit about

04:48America. Recycles day again.

04:49Coming up on November, 15th

04:50will celebrate on November 14th

04:52this year, which is Saturday

04:53and talk about some next steps

04:53as we continue to celebrate

04:56this. Key items. As you heard

04:58in that video that Kim

04:59mentions. We just want to

04:59remind everyone that we want

05:03items to be empty, clean

05:04and dry and want to make sure

05:04that people are only putting

05:07things into their recycling

05:08containers that need to go into

05:09it. So no clothing, no

05:09tanglers. Much of that video

05:11that you already saw. We do

05:12want to work together to reduce

05:13contamination. So we do have a

05:15lot of individuals that are

05:15putting things that cannot be

05:17recycled in Fort Worth in their

05:18containers. Currently about

05:2030%. And our goal is to get

05:20that reduced down to closer to

05:2410% education efforts like the

05:24one we're talking about today

05:25in that video you just saw it

05:27really helps us to move that

05:29forward. We also want to make

05:31sure we're improving recycling

05:32across our entire landscape.

05:33So far, residents, businesses,

05:35city facilities, all of our

05:36partners. We want to unified

05:37clear and consistent message.

05:38And I think today we can kind

05:40of kick that off and you guys

05:40can continue to help us tell

05:41that story as we move forward.

05:44We did have a recent post card

05:45go out. You may recall we have

05:47some EPA dollars coming in.

05:48So we have 4.8 million coming

05:49in. A part of that is tied to

05:50education outreach throughout

05:51our community over the next

05:543 years. Again, empty, clean,

05:55dry. And will people remember

05:58that in your blue card in your

05:58recycling cart? You do not want

06:00to put items inside plastic

06:02bags just like you see in this

06:04photo. You can put the

06:05materials loose in that

06:06container and that's going to

06:07help improve sorting whenever

06:09it gets to the recycling

06:11facility. We try to remind

06:11these people frequently because

06:12it's a little bit of

06:14counterintuitive in your

06:14garbage. Can we want you to put

06:16things in a plastic bag in your

06:17recycling cart, the blue cart?

06:18We don't want you to put them

06:21inside a plastic bag.

06:23Just the high another

06:23high-level concepts about what

06:24we did last year with America

06:25recycles day again. Every

06:27November is America recycles

06:29month and every November 15th

06:33is America recycles day.

06:34And here's some of the great

06:34activities we had to promote

06:36this across our community last

06:37year. looking forward to next

06:37month and celebrating again.

06:41We want to also highlight that

06:43we can't do this alone.

06:43Partnership is critical to

06:44telling our story. And I want

06:45to say thank you to Midori

06:48Clark in the library team to

06:50Marilyn Marvin in the property

06:51management team and to Dave

06:51Lewis in the Park and

06:52Recreation team in all of our

06:54community centers. We really

06:55are working collaboratively to

06:57get this story out with a lot

06:59of great activities. Coming up,

06:59you can check out our website

07:00and see more of what's in store

07:01throughout the month of

07:04November.

07:05I want to say that it doesn't

07:06stop there. It's also

07:07critically important. We work

07:09with our partners across the

07:09community. I'm very excited.

07:10This year is the first time

07:12we've been able to do this.

07:13But we have partners with the

07:15Grand Plaza and you also going

07:16to take our recycling message

07:19to those facilities on the

07:21Saturday November 14th to

07:23celebrate America recycles Day.

07:25Want to say thank you to Miguel

07:26Calero, who is the director

07:28of marketing there at LeBron

07:30and also ke Kevin Davies, who

07:33is the director there at

07:34Hewlett Mall. They're also

07:34members of our long-range solid

07:35waste planning team just been

07:36tremendous partners and

07:39advocates for this. And I can't

07:40ignore are 2 critical partners

07:43in this space. Both Republican

07:45forward is very fortunate to

07:47have to recycling facilities in

07:48our community. Not every

07:48community has a recycling

07:51facility within its borders

07:52and so very thankful will also

07:53have if you want to bring the

07:56kids out, we'll have touch.

07:57A truck event will have W man,

07:58Andrus and Republic trucks out

08:00there on the outside. And then

08:02inside the food court will have

08:03a lot of interactive displays

08:03and things moving forward.

08:04So just want to say thank you

08:05to all of them as we move this

08:08forward.

08:10Just high-level stuff. We also

08:12have a lot of great things that

08:13will be able to give away

08:13throughout the month of

08:14November will be able to pass

08:15them out to you today as well.

08:16So anything you can do to help

08:19us tell the story. We want to

08:21continue to show the products

08:22can have a new life. We can

08:23recycle that material input

08:24into new products and put it to

08:26good use.

08:27And this last up, just some

08:27high level recommendations and

08:31next steps, just anything you

08:31can think of to help us tell

08:32this story throughout our

08:33community and throughout the

08:36city is really appreciative

08:37on coming up on October

08:38TWENTY-SEVENTH for before work

08:39session will have a quick

08:43proclamation to proclaim

08:44November. Has America recycles

08:46month and November 15th,

08:46specifically as America

08:49recycles day across and then

08:50across the community. And then

08:51again, back to those events on

08:52November 14th, through your

08:53social media channels and

08:55through your networks, if you

08:56could just encourage people to

08:57come out and celebrate at a

08:58drop-off stations are at

08:59healing Mueller Grand Place

09:01that we'd love to see you out

09:02there. Thank you. We'll close.

09:03It was just a quick video as

09:03well. And then we have time for

09:06questions.

09:55>> And secondly, doesn't have

09:56the complicated starts with one

09:59small tools.

10:00>> Most to cycling starts right

10:05at home. When items are in the

10:06green and dry in the real

10:09difference.

10:11>> This have its own staff

10:12right there. We take them to

10:12work to school and into our

10:16businesses.

10:16>> With thousands of forward to

10:19cycle the right way. Those

10:19small actions can not a big

10:22way.

10:26>> Everything collected the

10:27city of Fort Worth comes to

10:27hear the state-of-the-art a

10:30second. So.

10:37>> Them to work to school and

10:41into our businesses.

10:42>> With thousands Earth to

10:43cycle the right way, those

10:44small actions can add up to

10:46big way.

10:52>> Everything collected.

10:52The cfr worth comes to hear the

10:53state-of-the-art second.

10:55So.

10:57>> some technical difficulties

10:58will love will offer that out

11:01to each of your offices.

11:01But we do. We would love for

11:03you to share these videos,

11:03either one hour, both out to

11:04your social media channels and

11:06just help us celebrate that.

11:07Happy to take any questions

11:07about recycling. Before we move

11:10on.

11:15>> Thank you. Since we're

11:18talking at recycling that we

11:19may be an update on the

11:20Styrofoam recycling can build

11:21up in h*** Shire. that's been

11:22out of commission for a while.

11:23Hopefully when I get one before

11:27the recycling day.

11:29>> Absolutely so. So that is so

11:30clearly where we are, how we

11:30got into recycling as we had a

11:31grant that we were able to have

11:33one piece of equipment at our

11:34ECC and we were allowed to.

11:34We added a pilot program so

11:35Styrofoam can go to any of our

11:40drop-off stations. It gets

11:41consolidated back at our ACC in

11:41our team. Puts that into blocks

11:42and gets and moves that on into

11:44into production. So when that

11:45machine goes down, we do have a

11:46little bit of lag. We'll circle

11:48back and see we can do to bring

11:51that forward thinking and huge.

11:52Thank you to you. You and your

11:53team for supporting the touch.

11:55A truck event that we recently

11:56had.

11:56>> I think the culture is by

11:58far the coolest thing that was

11:58there and actually took the

11:59time to do the demonstration.

12:01And so he had. It was really

12:02cool. So thank you so much for

12:02absolutely. Thank you.

12:05Appreciate it.

12:08>> Great job. Dr. Varied you

12:09and your team for really cool

12:11videos. I think I learned

12:15something. I do have a

12:15question, though. There was

12:16that, you know, you can't

12:18recycle mayors, but is that

12:19like the mayor is with the

12:19frames or or if it's just the

12:24class? So the glass with

12:25that mirrors the mayor, the

12:26Chinese side, that's what makes

12:26it difficult to recycle.

12:27But if there is something we

12:27can repurpose, we're always

12:28trying to move that forward to

12:29in some time. Some of our

12:30partners also like the Wellman

12:31project, others will recycle

12:32and reuse that in different

12:32ways. So many that's an option

12:35for you.

12:36>> Well, learn something new

12:36to deny our household gurus in

12:41my like this. You know, ice.

12:42I will definitely really the

12:42message. Well, thank you so

12:45much

12:46and so now we'll move on to our

12:47next briefing coming litter

12:50cleanup.

12:50Events and environmental

12:51services. Staff recognition.

12:54Thank you.

12:57>> Switching gears, still

12:57material. Many of those could

12:58be recycled, right? But we'll

12:58talk a little bit about litter

13:00across our community. And I

13:03want to

13:04also invite some of my friend,

13:04my so my team members and

13:05friends up to join us just for

13:05a quick recognition as well.

13:10So every year we worked really

13:12hard to keep our city safe,

13:15clean and attractive. And it is

13:16not by any sort of magic.

13:19It takes a lot of really hard

13:20work and dedication to many of

13:21these wonderful people you see

13:23behind me is coming up to join

13:25me. And as we take a minute to

13:25celebrate them and honor some

13:26of the hard work and the will

13:27talk a little bit about the

13:27statistics that go into making

13:31it all happen. So just real

13:32quick here, you can see windy

13:33Turpin are assistant director

13:34who oversees the program is

13:37part of our portfolio. Mr.

13:38Know Johnson as your

13:40superintendent who oversees all

13:40of the litter and illegal

13:41dumping in cleanup, including

13:43camps across the city and you

13:43see are for supervisors.

13:47Also back there. So you can see

13:47Mister Robert Collins, he

13:48oversees Europe's fire crews

13:49and your litter cleanup crews

13:53throughout the city. You can

13:53see Justin Smith there he

13:54overseas or street sweeping

13:54program does a brilliant job

13:56with that. You now see Ronnie

13:57Smith over there. He is in

14:01charge of all of your can't

14:01cleanup teams and nuisance

14:02abatement. So he's making sure

14:03that we process all of those

14:06cases carefully and move that

14:08forward. And then Mr. J No,

14:10sir. He does a tremendous job.

14:12He is your storm debris

14:14cleanup. He has 5 teams of 2

14:15who picks up illegal dumping

14:15and storm debris and things

14:18like that throughout our

14:18community and also works to

14:19take care of dead animal pick

14:22up throughout the city is a

14:23really big city. As you guys

14:23know with a lot of work that

14:26needs to be done and I could

14:26not say more thanks to these

14:30lovely people. Some think.

14:35So. Not sharing a little bit

14:35more about what that work looks

14:38like.

14:39We have our litter abatement.

14:42As I mentioned, street sweeping

14:43illegal dumping and campsite

14:44nuisance abatement. Also dead

14:45animals kind of tight in there

14:46with illegal dumping really

14:48want to honor just all of a

14:51the hard work and dedication

14:52that comes through. You are

14:52currently at 11 citywide crews

14:55into highway crews. Thank you

14:56again for your support with

14:57the budget this year. We're

14:58excited. This week we really

15:00kick off with UPS. Buyer R new

15:01crew so be celebrating them

15:02this week. Their focus is going

15:07to be on. I traffic areas.

15:08Entertainment corridors,

15:09commercial corridors are really

15:10excited to see what they can do

15:11to help us move that forward.

15:12We also are looking forward

15:13to continuing to expand our

15:15street sweeper flee this year.

15:17So we'll be ordering 2 new

15:18trucks. Remember, it takes

15:18sometimes 12 to 18 months for

15:20them to arrive. But looking

15:20forward to moving that forward

15:23as well. I really appreciate

15:24just now the hard hard work

15:27that's gone into move that

15:28forward. Finally illegal dump

15:29cleanup. As we mentioned, this

15:30team is all over picking up

15:33material some most of the time.

15:34It is 8 campsites or other but

15:35debris that's been dumped

15:38illegally in our community.

15:38We really prefer people taken

15:39to a dropoff station are taken

15:40to the landfill and not find a

15:41local alleyway or something to

15:44drop it in. And then, of

15:48course, campsites as as

15:48sometimes creates a real

15:49nuisance for property owners

15:49and properties as we want to

15:50continue to support it. The

15:52point is that

15:53we have great teams working

15:54every day and I'm honored to be

15:55in Fort Worth, which I think is

15:56one of the cleanest large

15:56cities that you will find

16:00anywhere. Moving into just some

16:00other examples of kind of the

16:03stuff that we get into in just

16:03a reminder that if you see

16:04something out there, please say

16:05something because we cannot

16:07possibly see everything that

16:09happens. But we will work very

16:12hard to respond to my 4th at

16:12request or if you reach out to

16:15the 3, 1,

16:16one contact center e-mail.

16:16Our department were always

16:17quick to respond and try to

16:18move things forward. Here's a

16:19couple examples on our

16:20highways. We do partnered

16:22closely with TEX Dot. You can

16:23see some insulation that had

16:25blown out and some other litter

16:26the to move forward, just

16:29trying to keep all of that area

16:29clean. Also want to honor that.

16:30We have a great partnership

16:32with in IN T T a and others.

16:33And it's because of those

16:33partnerships were able to keep

16:36forward looking so great.

16:37Another key, a key example of

16:40some of the great work we do

16:41are under passes and other

16:44areas where campsites are

16:44creating issues. You can see

16:45some private property in some

16:48public property that sometimes

16:48has encampments that move on

16:49to it and leave behind residue

16:54and debris working closely with

16:55PD with homeless strategies

16:56with many other partners across

16:56community were able to clean

16:57these up pretty quickly.

16:57If you see something, please

17:00let us know. We always want to

17:02take care of the people

17:02components also make sure that

17:03our property are taken care of

17:06as well. I wanted to say kudos

17:07to our partners throughout the

17:10community as well and other

17:12departments. So parks and

17:14recreation TP W or code

17:14compliance Department. It is a

17:15collaborative effort to keep

17:18the city looking great. You can

17:18see just some examples of

17:20graffiti as we move forward

17:23to with the the South main

17:24underpass. Also want to honor

17:26the South main group and Megan

17:26Henderson. She was a great

17:29partner as we prepare for FIFA.

17:30It really worked to create a

17:30really attractive space for

17:31that for that particular area.

17:34I just closing out today that

17:35the letter topic, we have some

17:37really big events coming up

17:38this week and there's still

17:40time to register. But this

17:41weekend is our litter stop

17:43event. Remember, we do to big

17:43community wide cleanup events

17:44each year, one in the fall and

17:45one in the spring. So this is

17:48our neighborhood litter stop.

17:49We don't care where you pick

17:50up. We just want you to bring

17:51your friends and your neighbors

17:52out and clean up this little

17:55part of Fort Worth. That is

17:56yours and just help us continue

17:57that forward. You can clean up

17:58before after the event, but we

17:59recommend that you sign up and

18:01get a free T-shirt will give

18:03you a grabber and supplies and

18:04bags. Whatever you need to give

18:05you some vouchers to drop it

18:06off at one of our drop-off

18:08stations. If you need it.

18:11But 8 to 11 this weekend again,

18:11use the QR code or check out

18:12our website. Go ahead and get

18:13signed up. One cup more size.

18:20The other side. And on top of

18:22that, we had such a great event

18:22with our tire take back event

18:23last spring that we cited again

18:27this fall. And so this year it

18:29will be at our New Southside

18:30Community Center, formerly

18:30known as the Haze or the Center

18:34for Neighborhoods. Again, 8 to

18:35noon. You can bring vehicle

18:36tires, you can bring bicycle

18:37or automotive tires and bring

18:40that forward. You need to be in

18:41Fort Worth resident. But you

18:41can bring that just as long as

18:43it's not from a commercial

18:44business will be happy to take

18:45that and get off your hands.

18:46So it doesn't have one of our

18:46alleyways or creeks or what

18:49have you.

18:50And then finally, just take a

18:50quick look, as we plan out our

18:52fy 27 event. Of course, the

18:5517th coming up as kind of our

18:56cornerstone. We'll have other

18:59events at a facility in

19:00Sylvania Park. Another has a

19:01Harvey peace, another citywide

19:02event with American can count

19:05on American cleanup day in

19:06April and then Handley Meadow,

19:06Brook and Lake Como rounding

19:10out our fiscal year. But as a

19:11reminder, we will provide

19:12supplies and support to you

19:13at any time at any day of the

19:14year. So if you decide you and

19:15your neighborhoods want to

19:18create an event, reach out to

19:18our office will be happy to

19:19help you get that developed and

19:21schedule.

19:22So that kind of wraps up the

19:22presentation. I want to ask,

19:24Mr. Know Johnson to come back

19:24to the podium just for a minute

19:27and join me. So after 22 years

19:31of service, no Johnson has

19:32decided to retire. And he is

19:34one of the finest gentleman

19:34that I have had the pleasure to

19:35work with. And a key part of

19:38our team. And I will tell you

19:39over the years, you know, has

19:41been the key leader in

19:42advancing our up Spire program

19:43from a team of 3 crews. Now to

19:4619 crews. He's taken our street

19:49sweeper. Crew concept from its

19:50general idea of something that

19:55we should do to now 12 pieces

19:56of our fleet throughout

19:57cleaning up and has developed

19:58all of the routes and all the

19:59corridors from scratch with our

20:02jazz team. He's been a critical

20:03part, did critical in

20:05developing partnerships with

20:09and TEX DOT. And it's know that

20:09your city looks as incredible

20:11as it does as well. It's been a

20:11few minutes to honor him for a

20:12minute and then give them a

20:15chance to say a few words.

20:22>> Thank you so much, Cody

20:23appreciated. Thank you. Thank

20:23you guys for this recognition

20:24for my team and we've been able

20:25to accomplish. I just want to

20:28say quickly, it's been an

20:29honor, at least to serve the

20:29city of Fort Worth for over

20:3220 years.

20:33I find myself to be blessed.

20:36Not many people can

20:37say that started here and not

20:39thinking that this would happen

20:39here that long. But it's been

20:42such a privilege game so much.

20:47I guess, knowledge.

20:48And proud of what we've been

20:49able to accomplish over the

20:49years. So I appreciate thank

20:53you for your support. My

20:55director. Big kudos to my team

20:56because we've been able to do

20:58it without them all the

20:58efforts. And we're actually

20:59starting which actually seeing

21:01the progress out there. So I'm

21:02glad that people are starting

21:05to notice. And I pray that we

21:05will continue these efforts as

21:09we go forward. So thank you so

21:09much for all your support and

21:10help because we can do without

21:11you. And thanks to my team.

21:20>> So we have no through the

21:21end of December sales to begin

21:22around sticking around with

21:23us for a little while longer

21:25will celebrate him some more

21:26throughout the next couple of

21:27weeks. But I want to take a

21:27minute to celebrate him cities.

21:29So thank you for that. Any

21:29questions about little

21:32programs?

21:35>> I deal. Thank you for 22

21:36years of amazing public service

21:39to our city for Earth.

21:40And so just enjoy retirement.

21:40When it comes in December, LBJ,

21:44I'm jealous, of course.

21:47So I'm sure your team will

21:50greatly miss you. Does anybody

21:53have any questions or

21:56and requests for future

21:59discussion? Topics?

21:59Is there any for executive

22:02session?

22:03All right. So it's to 23 and

22:06I adjourn.