WEBVTT
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- (female announcer)
Production funding
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for Behind the Headlines
is made possible in part by
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the WKNO Production Fund,
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the WKNO Endowment Fund,
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and by viewers
like you, thank you.
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- Infrastructure and
Public Works in Memphis,
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tonight on Behind the Headlines.
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[intense orchestral music]
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I'm Eric Barnes with
The Daily Memphian.
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Thanks for joining us.
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I'm joined tonight
by Robert Knecht,
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Director of Public Works
for the City of Memphis.
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Thanks for being here.
- Thank you for having me.
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- Along with Bill Dries,
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reporter with
The Daily Memphian.
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Let's start with just
some basics for folks
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'cause I think when
you say public works,
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you say infrastructure,
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people probably have
a bunch of assumptions
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about what that includes
and some of it does,
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some of it it does not.
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So, real quickly,
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what is under Public Works
for the City of Memphis?
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- So I have three
main departments.
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We structure it by
organization, by departments.
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And so one of them is
maintenance department,
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which covers all of our
stormwater infrastructure,
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all of our roads and bridges,
right away maintenance,
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street sweeping,
those functions are
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kind of under that department.
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Then I have neighborhood
improvement,
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which is all the residential
commercial code enforcement
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and environmental enforcement
in Memphis City Beautiful.
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And then I have
all the wastewater,
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which is all the
wastewater collection
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and treatment,
which is actually,
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we serve more than
the city of Memphis.
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We serve 850,000
people with wastewater.
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- In the suburbs
and unincorporated-
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- And even Horn Lake.
- And Horn Lake, oh.
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- Temporarily for
another eight years.
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- Okay. And we'll talk
through all that stuff.
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But what it doesn't include,
'cause I imagine there
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are things that people will
listen to and say, "Well,
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why didn't you ask 'em
about trash collection?"
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That's not under public works.
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- It was up until about three,
it's about four years ago.
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I had it under as
part of Public Works, yes.
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- Doesn't include parks.
- No.
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- Doesn't include MLGW,
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a separate division,
a separate entity, really.
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- They collect
our stormwater fee
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and our sewer fees for
us on the utility bill.
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So we pay them for
those services.
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- Okay. For the collection.
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So people see that
on their bill.
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So they kind of merge
those things together.
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Office of Planning
and Development,
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you must work closely with them,
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but that is actually a separate,
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Housing and Community
Development, separate.
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And is general
services separate?
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- Yes.
- It is?
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General services includes,
I know it's not under you,
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but just so,
this is super wonky.
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- It's facility maintenance
and then the fleet,
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a lot of the fleet maintenance.
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City engineering
is another division
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of itself, but that's one of
our biggest partner division.
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- City engineering. Okay.
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Again, I just wanna lay that out
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so people understand
kind of where you are
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and what you're doing, your
spend, the things you spend
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comes from, I should say
you're funded by what?
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It's a mix of taxes, fees,
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there could be some state
money, some federal money.
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- All the above.
- Is that, all the above?
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Most of my budget is fees based.
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And I have two utilities.
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I'm a utility director for,
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you know, a sewer system
and a stormwater system.
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But the general fund
is the smallest piece,
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actually, of my budget.
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My budget's
$230 million annually.
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And I have a
$2 billion capital budget.
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I have the biggest
capital budget.
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- Yeah, that's 2 billion a year?
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- No, that's just planned.
- Planned out over
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a five to plus year horizon.
- Yeah.
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It's gonna depend on how much
money revenues you have.
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- Okay, one more and then
I'm gonna go to Bill,
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we'll get more into the
kind of current issues,
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but one is, we're going
into budget season
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just this week,
and we're, I should note
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that we're holding this a week.
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So we recorded this two
weeks ago as you watch it,
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but Paul Young, your
new boss, the mayor
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said there's at least a
$30 million budget gap that came
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after a $10 million budget gap.
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So I think it's a total of
40 so far that's been found.
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That's the budget gap.
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He's talking about a potential
property tax increase.
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Do you have any sense yet of how
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a tighter budget could impact
the services you provide?
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- By tighter, you
mean no increase?
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- No increase.
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Or even, I mean...
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- Yeah, I mean, it's gonna
mean severe reductions in some
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areas, you know, I mean,
there's just, revenues have
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to meet your expenditures.
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So I don't know what
it would look like,
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but you know, if we don't
have the $40 million,
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there's gonna be changes
in the way, on operations.
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- And would that be, again,
given that the sewers
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and the kinda more utility
things are paid for
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through fees, maybe
that's less effective.
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But things like paving roads,
which your former boss,
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Jim Strickland, would
talk very often about
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how much when he was
out in the public,
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when he was at a
community meeting, things
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that might seem simple or
seem small like potholes
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and road paving are incredibly
important to citizens.
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Is that part of what could
get impacted if there is
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not as much money to go around?
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- Well, the fees
obviously pay for the system.
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So those will not be impacted.
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It is the general
funded items, you know,
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like street maintenance
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and code enforcement, which
are the ones that would be
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the most difficult to work
through given budget challenges.
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And paving and roads
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and code enforcement,
cutting grass,
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you know, maintaining
properties.
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Yeah, those are the ones
that are funded by that.
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- Yeah. Bill?
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- I wanted to also ask you about
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one of the capital projects,
and that is the cobblestones.
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And you've been involved
in this along with a lot
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of engineering on Manny Belin,
the city engineer's part.
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You've both kind of been
working together on that.
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Where is that project
at this point?
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Because you had
some real problems
05:42.575 --> 05:45.178 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
with the river
being at record lows
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and that caused some
damage beneath the stones.
05:49.415 --> 05:52.251 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
- Yeah, actually the dredging
that happened during the,
05:52.251 --> 05:55.888 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
you know, 'cause the Corp
had to ensure, you know,
05:55.888 --> 05:57.790 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
river traffic, the
capacity for river traffic.
05:57.790 --> 05:59.359 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
So they got some
emergency funding
05:59.359 --> 06:02.095 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and during the low water they
dredged up into the harbor
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and that caused
severe subsidence.
06:04.564 --> 06:07.533 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
And by subsidence we
mean soil loss, erosion.
06:07.533 --> 06:10.303 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
And so there was large
sections of the cobblestones
06:10.303 --> 06:12.205 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
that had been completed, failed.
06:12.205 --> 06:14.941 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
So what we're working with
06:14.941 --> 06:17.343 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
and this is a state
and federal funding.
06:17.343 --> 06:19.545 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
So TDOT, the State of
Tennessee's involved,
06:19.545 --> 06:22.949 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
we recently approached
them about doing a partial
06:22.949 --> 06:25.017 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
substantial completion
06:25.017 --> 06:27.754 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
because there are sections
of it that are done.
06:27.754 --> 06:30.656 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
So they want to complete,
I guess recognize
06:30.656 --> 06:32.759 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
that's done and then
we can then work
06:32.759 --> 06:35.294 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
to finalize and repair the area
06:35.294 --> 06:37.830 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
and the outfall that failed.
06:37.830 --> 06:39.532 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
And so we got the
funding in place.
06:39.532 --> 06:42.735 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
The contractor is supposed
to get started this summer
06:42.735 --> 06:45.138 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
and be done by the
first of the year,
06:45.138 --> 06:47.673 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
by January of the next year.
- Right.
06:47.673 --> 06:50.743 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
Because if you look at
the cobblestone, there are some
06:50.743 --> 06:52.512 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
improvements that you can see
that have been made.
06:52.512 --> 06:53.813 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
There are some steps there.
06:53.813 --> 06:56.416 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
You can kind of see
what the plan is for it
06:56.416 --> 06:58.785 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
has started to take shape
06:58.785 --> 07:02.688 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
to some degree there.
07:02.688 --> 07:05.792 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And then this happened
with the river
07:05.792 --> 07:08.694 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
and the dredging happened
because of the low river
07:08.694 --> 07:11.731 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
and it kind of had a chain
reaction effect on that.
07:12.732 --> 07:15.201 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
- Well, the most, I think the
most interesting thing that,
07:15.201 --> 07:16.469 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
not just the failure,
07:16.469 --> 07:18.070 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
but what happened
that this is one
07:18.070 --> 07:19.806 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
of the unique things about
these types of projects
07:19.806 --> 07:21.174 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
that people don't understand is,
07:21.174 --> 07:24.677 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
when we started the project,
we found a lot more cobblestone
07:24.677 --> 07:26.879 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
that we didn't know about
'cause the river was low.
07:26.879 --> 07:29.348 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
And that change in scope
was pretty significant
07:29.348 --> 07:31.617 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
because there's all
these guidelines
07:31.617 --> 07:34.520 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
that we have to follow,
like we call SHIPO and NEPA.
07:34.520 --> 07:36.722 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
These are just an
acronyms for programs,
07:36.722 --> 07:37.924 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
that environmental programs
07:37.924 --> 07:39.492 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
or historic
preservation programs,
07:39.492 --> 07:40.927 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
that we have to comply with.
07:40.927 --> 07:42.829 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
And when you change the
scope, you have to go back
07:42.829 --> 07:44.497 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
and get compliance for all that.
07:44.497 --> 07:46.199 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5%
And those cause lots of delays
07:46.199 --> 07:50.036 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
to construction timelines,
unforeseen challenges like that.
07:50.036 --> 07:52.805 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
So this subsidence is
just another example
07:52.805 --> 07:54.574 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
of a very long project
07:54.574 --> 07:56.375 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and a very complicated
project that's,
07:56.375 --> 07:58.711 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
people are gonna say,
"It takes forever.
07:58.711 --> 08:00.079 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
Why does it take so long?"
08:00.079 --> 08:01.781 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
And that's some of the reasons,
08:01.781 --> 08:04.484 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
you know, you unforeseen
issues pop up all the time.
08:04.484 --> 08:07.420 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
- Right. So people will see
08:07.420 --> 08:09.856 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
crews working on it sometime
08:09.856 --> 08:12.325 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
this summer, too.
- Yes.
08:12.325 --> 08:14.260 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
- All right.
- We had to get approval
08:14.260 --> 08:16.162 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
from the state and get
everybody on to agree.
08:16.162 --> 08:17.296 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
We just couldn't start.
08:17.296 --> 08:18.464 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
And once we change the scope,
08:18.464 --> 08:20.500 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and as I mentioned, all that
has to be signed off on.
08:20.500 --> 08:24.136 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
So that's the bureaucratic
process that takes on.
08:24.136 --> 08:25.771 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50%
- Right.
08:25.771 --> 08:28.241 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
Tonight as we record
this show, I'm going
08:28.241 --> 08:29.709 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
to the first public hearing
08:29.709 --> 08:32.979 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
that TDOT is having
on the new bridge,
08:32.979 --> 08:35.348 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
or I guess you could call
it the replacement bridge
08:35.348 --> 08:36.949 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
for the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge.
08:36.949 --> 08:40.686 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
Is Public Works
involved in that?
08:40.686 --> 08:42.321 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
- We've been involved
in the discussions,
08:42.321 --> 08:44.991 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and because obviously,
you know, there's a lot
08:44.991 --> 08:48.327 align:left position:15% line:5% size:75%
of issues will be in any time
you do major construction,
08:48.327 --> 08:50.830 align:left position:25% line:5% size:65%
traffic, whatever,
congestion, you know,
08:50.830 --> 08:54.901 align:left position:17.5% line:5% size:72.5%
any improvements that will
affect local infrastructure
08:54.901 --> 08:57.203 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and you know, they're
always good partners with us
08:57.203 --> 09:00.406 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and make sure, you know,
City of Memphis Public Works
09:00.406 --> 09:03.109 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and engineering are involved.
- Right.
09:03.109 --> 09:04.710 align:left position:42.5% line:89% size:47.5%
Right.
09:04.710 --> 09:08.614 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
The thing that
I think a lot of people
09:08.614 --> 09:12.718 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
don't think about,
but you think about a lot
09:12.718 --> 09:17.156 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
is this whole business of,
what happens to wastewater
09:17.156 --> 09:20.393 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
when it goes someplace,
a lot of the things
09:20.393 --> 09:21.894 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
that you cover,
I think, are things
09:21.894 --> 09:26.098 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
that people may not think about
until something goes wrong
09:26.098 --> 09:28.601 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
or something unexpected
happens on it.
09:28.601 --> 09:31.003 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
So where is the
city's policy in terms
09:31.003 --> 09:34.307 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
of the decision made
by Mayor Strickland
09:34.307 --> 09:38.244 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
to say we're not gonna
take the wastewater from
09:38.244 --> 09:41.414 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
unincorporated areas, if we
have an evergreen agreement,
09:41.414 --> 09:44.150 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5%
yes, we'll keep that in place.
09:44.150 --> 09:47.853 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
Where is that decision
at this point?
09:47.853 --> 09:50.356 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
- So Mayor Young is
evaluating the status.
09:50.356 --> 09:53.159 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
You know, we had
discussions about it.
09:53.159 --> 09:54.760 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
The policy still is there.
09:54.760 --> 09:57.663 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
We're not accepting
any new connections.
09:57.663 --> 10:02.401 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
Now, one of the confusions
that that often come up are,
10:02.401 --> 10:05.905 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
but when we enacted
the policy in 2008,
10:05.905 --> 10:09.241 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
there were quite a few
properties out in these
10:09.241 --> 10:12.378 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
unincorporated areas, which
were our future reserve, right?
10:12.378 --> 10:14.046 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
That's the only reason why
the sewer is out there.
10:14.046 --> 10:15.848 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
The city was going
to annex them.
10:15.848 --> 10:18.651 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
So we quit annexing
and de-annexing.
10:18.651 --> 10:21.053 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
That changed that whole,
you know, paradigm.
10:21.053 --> 10:24.490 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
But we've connected
80, I think 79
10:24.490 --> 10:27.526 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
or 80 new properties out
there since that time
10:27.526 --> 10:30.663 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
because we had a legal
requirement to do so.
10:30.663 --> 10:33.032 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
So there have been quite
a few that have connected.
10:33.032 --> 10:35.101 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
If everybody thinks
that none have, no,
10:35.101 --> 10:36.969 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
we legally have allowed it.
10:36.969 --> 10:40.106 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
But the city policy
still is there in place
10:40.106 --> 10:42.041 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
and the mayor's
kind of reviewing it
10:42.041 --> 10:45.077 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and making a decision for
his administration to decide
10:45.077 --> 10:47.013 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
what direction they want to go.
10:47.013 --> 10:49.115 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
But we are honoring all of
our contractual agreements.
10:49.115 --> 10:51.183 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
You know, we serve Bartlett,
we serve, you know,
10:51.183 --> 10:53.819 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
we had served Lakeland,
we kind of served too,
10:53.819 --> 10:56.822 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
but you know, Millington,
Collierville, Germantown,
10:56.822 --> 10:59.058 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
you know, Collierville
and Millington
10:59.058 --> 11:01.494 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and Lakeland are coming
off at some point.
11:01.494 --> 11:03.496 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
But Germantown and
Bartlett are gonna be
11:03.496 --> 11:05.264 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
longtime partners for us.
- Right.
11:05.264 --> 11:08.167 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
Because this isn't something
you can just stop on a dime.
11:09.568 --> 11:12.405 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
It's, you know,
plans have been made
11:12.405 --> 11:14.874 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5%
and the annexation law changed
11:14.874 --> 11:17.610 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and now it's annexation
by referendum.
11:17.610 --> 11:21.814 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
But nevertheless,
this still continued
11:21.814 --> 11:25.418 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
and in the process the city
made some big improvements
11:25.418 --> 11:28.320 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
to the two wastewater
treatment plants that you have.
11:28.320 --> 11:30.189 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And there's some
new technology there
11:30.189 --> 11:32.692 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
that involves the
treatment of the water,
11:32.692 --> 11:36.696 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
which affects the quality of
what comes out of the plant.
11:36.696 --> 11:40.199 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And it's a higher
quality now than it has
11:40.199 --> 11:42.168 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
been previously, right?
11:42.168 --> 11:43.369 align:left position:42.5% line:89% size:47.5%
- Yeah.
11:43.369 --> 11:45.337 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
We're, some of the biggest
investments we're making,
11:45.337 --> 11:48.340 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
we're spending
$325 million down at GE Maxim,
11:48.340 --> 11:50.242 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
which is our south
wastewater treatment plant
11:50.242 --> 11:52.812 align:left position:22.5% line:5% size:67.5%
to modernize, improve.
11:52.812 --> 11:56.048 align:left position:17.5% line:5% size:72.5%
And once all that's done,
it'll be a huge improvement
11:56.048 --> 11:58.350 align:left position:27.5% line:5% size:62.5%
to our biological
treatment capacity
11:58.350 --> 12:01.087 align:left position:22.5% line:5% size:67.5%
and improve the
discharge or effluent.
12:01.087 --> 12:03.422 align:left position:12.5% line:5% size:77.5%
And we did add parasitic acid,
12:03.422 --> 12:05.624 align:left position:12.5% line:5% size:77.5%
so we disinfect the wastewater
12:05.624 --> 12:07.560 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
before it gets discharged
to the Mississippi River,
12:07.560 --> 12:09.328 align:left position:27.5% line:5% size:62.5%
both facilities the
north and south.
12:09.328 --> 12:10.763 align:left position:35% line:5% size:55%
We did that.
12:10.763 --> 12:13.566 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
And that expense
was a huge impact
12:13.566 --> 12:14.934 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
to our operating
budget, you know,
12:14.934 --> 12:18.104 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
'cause the chemical demand
is like, went from, you know,
12:18.104 --> 12:19.972 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
five million dollars a year
to twenty-two million dollars
12:19.972 --> 12:22.374 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
a year just for
the disinfection alone.
12:22.374 --> 12:25.377 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
So we're doing it,
it's a good thing,
12:25.377 --> 12:29.348 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
but it comes at a pretty
significant cost as well.
12:29.348 --> 12:31.217 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5%
- Right. Right.
12:31.217 --> 12:33.786 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
- I was gonna get, stay
with water for a second.
12:33.786 --> 12:35.888 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
And the Biden administration,
12:35.888 --> 12:37.156 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
the federal government,
came out with some rules
12:37.156 --> 12:39.625 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
around forever chemicals,
you know, identified
12:39.625 --> 12:41.060 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80%
as chemicals that quote unquote
12:41.060 --> 12:43.429 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
"Never go away," that are
dangerous in the water.
12:43.429 --> 12:45.865 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80%
Will that be a challenge for you
12:45.865 --> 12:47.767 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
or is that a
challenge for MLGW in
12:47.767 --> 12:50.336 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
the mix of entities here?
12:50.336 --> 12:51.837 align:left position:42.5% line:83% size:47.5%
- Both.
- Both.
12:51.837 --> 12:54.673 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
- PFAS has been one of
the major discussion items.
12:54.673 --> 12:56.308 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
- PFAS stands for what?
12:56.308 --> 12:57.843 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
- Oh, it's--
- Sorry. [Eric laughs]
12:57.843 --> 13:00.613 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
- It's Polyfluorinated,
- But it's a forever chemical.
13:00.613 --> 13:02.047 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
Its dangerous chemicals.
- They're long-chain
13:02.047 --> 13:04.283 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
fluorinated chemicals and they
are used in firefighting foam.
13:04.283 --> 13:07.653 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
They're used in lots of
different applications
13:07.653 --> 13:10.022 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and they are something
that's come about
13:10.022 --> 13:13.659 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
that's got raised a lot of
concerns for a lot of us,
13:13.659 --> 13:15.995 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and in the wastewater
industry particularly,
13:15.995 --> 13:17.930 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
and in drinking water
13:17.930 --> 13:20.733 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
because they're finding 'em
working their way through,
13:20.733 --> 13:23.402 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
you know, agriculture
and other ways.
13:23.402 --> 13:25.004 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
And finally getting
into, you know,
13:25.004 --> 13:27.840 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
maybe, they're not in MLGW,
they're not in our aquifer,
13:27.840 --> 13:30.943 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
but you know, they're finding
'em throughout in the country
13:30.943 --> 13:32.878 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
and they are worried
about the impacts of them.
13:32.878 --> 13:34.413 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
So will we be impacted?
13:34.413 --> 13:36.515 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
It's, there's still
a lot of EPA,
13:36.515 --> 13:39.652 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
a lot of discussion going on
because we're not the generator.
13:39.652 --> 13:43.122 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
If you look at federal law,
most of the responsibility
13:43.122 --> 13:46.625 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
to address chemicals
are usually by
13:46.625 --> 13:48.294 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
what we call the generator.
13:48.294 --> 13:49.962 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
- Which in our
case would be MLGW.
13:49.962 --> 13:52.264 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
- No, no, it'd be
the chemical company
13:52.264 --> 13:54.600 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
or whoever makes the product.
- Oh, okay.
13:54.600 --> 13:55.835 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5%
- The generator of the actual,
13:55.835 --> 13:59.004 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
of the material that was
created, the cradle to grave,
13:59.004 --> 14:01.106 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
they call that, you
know, that's the whole,
14:01.106 --> 14:04.677 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
like RICRA, they call that, is
under the federal guidelines.
14:06.045 --> 14:09.348 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
- I wanted to also go
back to, I cut Bill off,
14:09.348 --> 14:10.716 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
but I'm gonna switch things up,
14:10.716 --> 14:12.051 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
and Bill might come back
to some other things.
14:12.051 --> 14:13.552 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
So apologies to Bill
here, but paving,
14:13.552 --> 14:15.187 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
and I mentioned at the
top of the show, it's one
14:15.187 --> 14:16.822 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
of the things we hear
about, we see in comments,
14:16.822 --> 14:18.591 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
I hear about it from people.
14:18.591 --> 14:21.327 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
The paving cycle was
under Strickland.
14:21.327 --> 14:23.362 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
He talked a lot about how
he increased the amount
14:23.362 --> 14:24.630 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5%
of money, pretty dramatically,
14:24.630 --> 14:26.699 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
that was going into paving,
shortening the paving cycle
14:26.699 --> 14:29.201 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
from, I think, was over
20 or 30 years
14:29.201 --> 14:31.837 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
or something like that, that
a given street would be fully
14:31.837 --> 14:34.006 align:left position:27.5% line:89% size:62.5%
repaved down to...
14:34.006 --> 14:36.675 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
It's a question,
what is the schedule now
14:36.675 --> 14:38.477 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
for city of Memphis streets?
14:38.477 --> 14:40.880 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And then let's also
talk about potholes,
14:40.880 --> 14:43.148 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
'cause people have intense
feelings about potholes.
14:43.148 --> 14:44.350 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
But let's start with
the paving cycle.
14:44.350 --> 14:45.417 align:left position:42.5% line:89% size:47.5%
- Sure.
14:45.417 --> 14:46.919 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
Yeah. So Mayor
Strickland was a very big
14:46.919 --> 14:48.254 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
proponent of paving.
14:48.254 --> 14:51.657 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
So he, the budget that was
allocated by his administration
14:51.657 --> 14:54.927 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
was as much as the
prior 20 years.
14:54.927 --> 14:57.596 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
So it had, you know, had
struggled with funding,
14:57.596 --> 15:00.299 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
'cause the city had a lot
of financial challenges.
15:00.299 --> 15:02.601 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And that was one of the
issues that, you know,
15:02.601 --> 15:04.003 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
how much funding do
we have for capital?
15:04.003 --> 15:06.405 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
And this is a question that
people don't understand,
15:06.405 --> 15:09.008 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
you know, paving is
a capitalized item.
15:09.008 --> 15:12.578 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
CIP budget is not operating,
potholes are operating.
15:12.578 --> 15:14.013 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
But when you go to repaving,
15:14.013 --> 15:16.181 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
or resurfacing as we call
it, that has to be funded
15:16.181 --> 15:17.616 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
through your CIP budget.
15:17.616 --> 15:20.819 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
And paving has been
the largest item.
15:20.819 --> 15:23.489 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
Out of the $86 million
budget, it was $20 million.
15:23.489 --> 15:28.527 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
So 25% of the city's capital
budget was going to paving.
15:28.527 --> 15:30.329 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And that really made
a huge improvement
15:30.329 --> 15:32.665 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
to our infrastructure
because we were, you know,
15:32.665 --> 15:36.035 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
at a 50-year, 60-year
cycle, we got it down
15:36.035 --> 15:39.672 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
to a 25-year cycle, which
is the industry standard.
15:39.672 --> 15:41.173 align:left position:35% line:83% size:55%
So,
- Is 20, 25?
15:41.173 --> 15:42.808 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
- Twenty-five years,
just in aggregate.
15:42.808 --> 15:44.643 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
Now, not every city street
we're talking about,
15:44.643 --> 15:47.246 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
major streets obviously have
a heavier traffic would be
15:47.246 --> 15:51.183 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
A shorter cycle, but
aggregate, we call it average.
15:51.183 --> 15:53.686 align:left position:27.5% line:89% size:62.5%
So, I mean [coughs]
15:53.686 --> 15:55.254 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
I mean with those
investments, we've made
15:55.254 --> 15:56.422 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
huge improvements in paving.
15:56.422 --> 15:59.525 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And I said the city's
huge, 320 square miles,
15:59.525 --> 16:00.926 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
this is something
people don't know.
16:00.926 --> 16:05.931 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
We have 6,714 lane miles
of roadway in our city.
16:05.931 --> 16:07.132 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60%
Think about that.
16:07.132 --> 16:09.635 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
That's back and forth from
New York to California.
16:09.635 --> 16:11.503 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
That's a lot of roads
16:11.503 --> 16:14.506 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and that's a difficult amount
of inventory to manage.
16:14.506 --> 16:16.208 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
- And that does not
include the state routes?
16:16.208 --> 16:17.710 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
- No, the state routes
are 900 miles.
16:17.710 --> 16:19.545 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
- So the state routes kind of
blow people's mind again,
16:19.545 --> 16:21.613 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
I mean it's wonky, but
it's, people see Poplar
16:21.613 --> 16:22.715 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
and they think
that's a city road,
16:22.715 --> 16:24.216 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
that's actually
still a state road.
16:24.216 --> 16:26.251 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
- We don't pave or fix
potholes on these roads.
16:26.251 --> 16:28.821 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
- Jackson, Union, you
correct me if I'm wrong,
16:28.821 --> 16:32.057 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
Summer, Lamar, South
3rd, Crump, the Parkways.
16:32.057 --> 16:34.259 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
A lot of downtown,
actually some of the
16:34.259 --> 16:36.395 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
main roads downtown are
actually state routes.
16:36.395 --> 16:37.830 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
- Yeah, Danny Thomas.
16:37.830 --> 16:38.831 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5%
- Danny Thomas.
16:38.831 --> 16:40.466 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
So how does that work?
16:40.466 --> 16:41.800 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
Do you just call TDOT
16:41.800 --> 16:45.371 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and say, hey, please, please,
please repave this street?
16:45.371 --> 16:47.673 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
Or is it completely separate
16:47.673 --> 16:49.274 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
in terms of the decision making?
16:49.274 --> 16:51.710 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
Is it all made up in
Nashville at the Capitol?
16:51.710 --> 16:53.712 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
- I mean, there is
a good partnership,
16:53.712 --> 16:55.180 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
but they make all the decisions.
16:55.180 --> 16:57.082 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
They have their own
assessment criteria
16:57.082 --> 17:00.552 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80%
and programming for the county,
Shelby County in this case,
17:00.552 --> 17:02.421 align:left position:25% line:5% size:65%
in which roadways
they're gonna budget.
17:02.421 --> 17:04.590 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
The interstates always
get the highest priority
17:04.590 --> 17:06.258 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
because they're federal.
17:06.258 --> 17:07.826 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80%
So they're gonna get, you know,
17:07.826 --> 17:10.362 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
special funding
attention from the state,
17:10.362 --> 17:13.132 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
The major state routes,
Poplar, you know,
17:13.132 --> 17:15.300 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
which is a huge
heavily-used corridor,
17:15.300 --> 17:18.704 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
gets it's own fair share,
Shelby Drive and others get,
17:18.704 --> 17:19.972 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
but they're not gonna
get the same level
17:19.972 --> 17:21.840 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
of service that the
state would give to--
17:21.840 --> 17:23.642 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
- Am I right though that,
that in the Strickland
17:23.642 --> 17:26.011 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
administration, some
of those state routes,
17:26.011 --> 17:29.281 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
the city had historically done
themselves, the city did it
17:29.281 --> 17:30.849 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
and then sent a
bill to the state
17:30.849 --> 17:33.919 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and kind of got back
whatever reimbursement
17:33.919 --> 17:35.454 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5%
they got back.
17:35.454 --> 17:36.688 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60%
Is that correct?
17:36.688 --> 17:38.524 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
There was a change to the way
the relationship worked.
17:38.524 --> 17:41.026 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
- We used to maintain, help
maintain the state routes
17:41.026 --> 17:42.261 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
and we were kind of helping
17:42.261 --> 17:44.229 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
the interstate
cutting and all that.
17:44.229 --> 17:47.399 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
We had taken a
contract with the state
17:47.399 --> 17:49.568 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
to provide those
to cover the state
17:49.568 --> 17:52.304 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and yeah, we were subsidizing
the state's services.
17:52.304 --> 17:54.673 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
Now that, not paving or
potholes, that was still them,
17:54.673 --> 17:56.575 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
but just the cutting
and maintenance
17:56.575 --> 17:59.278 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
and litter pickup, we were
subsidizing, you know,
17:59.278 --> 18:00.646 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
three hundred thosand
dollars a year
18:00.646 --> 18:03.715 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
and the state never would
agree to fully fund that,
18:03.715 --> 18:06.718 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
you know, and so we just
said, hey, well you do it then
18:06.718 --> 18:09.588 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
because I mean, we have
our own infrastructure
18:09.588 --> 18:12.124 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
that needs to be funded
at the right level
18:12.124 --> 18:14.259 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
versus funding the
state's responsibilities.
18:14.259 --> 18:16.495 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
- And does it frustrate you
if people are mad at
18:16.495 --> 18:19.031 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
city Public Works that, hey,
there are these potholes
18:19.031 --> 18:20.466 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
on Poplar, on Lamar.
18:20.466 --> 18:23.168 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
There's these problems,
and your hands are tied.
18:23.168 --> 18:24.503 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
- Yeah, I understand.
18:24.503 --> 18:26.271 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
Totally understand that.
18:26.271 --> 18:29.274 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
Everyone doesn't care,
they just want it done.
18:29.274 --> 18:31.910 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
And they're frustrated by
if there's any, you know,
18:31.910 --> 18:33.812 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
more bureaucracy,
government bureaucracy
18:33.812 --> 18:36.115 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and you know, why can't
you guys just do it?
18:36.115 --> 18:38.617 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
You know, I mean it's
just that there is,
18:38.617 --> 18:40.219 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
everybody has their
own responsibilities
18:40.219 --> 18:43.122 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
and you know, I would
prefer to give our citizens
18:43.122 --> 18:45.958 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
and what we own and
we're responsible for
18:45.958 --> 18:48.026 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
the highest priority first.
- Yeah.
18:48.026 --> 18:50.262 align:left position:45% line:89% size:45%
Bill?
18:50.262 --> 18:52.764 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
- You've also been working
18:52.764 --> 18:57.536 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
for several years now on
a registry for landlords
18:58.904 --> 19:01.707 align:left position:25% line:5% size:65%
and so the city can
more easily identify
19:01.707 --> 19:04.343 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
who owns blighted properties
19:04.343 --> 19:07.446 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and hold them
responsible for repairs
19:07.446 --> 19:10.115 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
and making sure that
they're someplace
19:10.115 --> 19:13.285 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
that people can actually live
in without worrying about it,
19:13.285 --> 19:15.587 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
you know, coming
down around them.
19:15.587 --> 19:17.456 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
How has that been going?
19:17.456 --> 19:20.325 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
- We could spend the whole
session just talking about this
19:20.325 --> 19:22.594 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
subject because it's
such an important one.
19:22.594 --> 19:26.165 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
So, you know, living
in substandard housing
19:26.165 --> 19:27.699 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5%
is deplorable.
19:27.699 --> 19:28.967 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
We can all agree, right?
19:28.967 --> 19:31.537 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
Families and children should not
live in substandard housing.
19:31.537 --> 19:35.107 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And so, we often
encounter it, you know,
19:35.107 --> 19:38.243 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
especially on rental properties,
a lot of substandard conditions.
19:38.243 --> 19:41.613 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
And so the best
practice is to have
19:41.613 --> 19:45.284 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
a system in place to understand
19:45.284 --> 19:47.853 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
and know who all the owners
19:47.853 --> 19:49.354 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
of these types of
properties are.
19:49.354 --> 19:51.490 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
So you can interact
with them efficiently.
19:51.490 --> 19:54.526 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And without the, like a
registry-based system,
19:54.526 --> 19:56.528 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
which is the kind of the
best practice you'll see
19:56.528 --> 19:58.730 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
all across the country
by major cities.
19:58.730 --> 20:00.933 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
You can't find the owners
20:00.933 --> 20:03.335 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
or their representative
without going
20:03.335 --> 20:05.170 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
through extensive research.
20:05.170 --> 20:07.372 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
And sometimes that
research could take months,
20:07.372 --> 20:11.276 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and all that time the
situation is happening.
20:11.276 --> 20:13.111 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
So the whole purpose
of a registry
20:13.111 --> 20:15.214 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
is just, the biggest
thing is timely
20:15.214 --> 20:18.717 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
responsiveness between the
city and the actual owner.
20:18.717 --> 20:21.220 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And that's what we
were trying to achieve.
20:21.220 --> 20:22.621 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And that's what
we've been working on
20:22.621 --> 20:24.923 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
and we've struggled to
even get anywhere with it
20:24.923 --> 20:26.258 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
because the state, you know,
20:26.258 --> 20:29.928 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
changed the law, preempted
us, saying that we would have
20:29.928 --> 20:32.064 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
to get state approval to
enact such legislation.
20:32.064 --> 20:34.766 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
And we tried recently this
last legislative session
20:34.766 --> 20:36.835 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
and weren't able to
get it accomplished.
20:36.835 --> 20:40.405 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
- Because you've encountered
considerable resistance from
20:40.405 --> 20:43.542 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
rental property
owners who you know,
20:43.542 --> 20:47.212 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
and as I understand it, you can
20:47.212 --> 20:51.917 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
oftentimes find the company
that's managing the property,
20:51.917 --> 20:55.287 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
but that's not who is
held legally responsible.
20:55.287 --> 20:58.290 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And once you get past
the property manager,
20:58.290 --> 21:01.326 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
then it really gets difficult
to find out who owns it
21:01.326 --> 21:05.264 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
or who owns a piece of
it, who owns 32 pieces
21:05.264 --> 21:07.099 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
of it, et cetera, right?
21:07.099 --> 21:08.900 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
- Well I would actually
a little bit to the opposite
21:08.900 --> 21:11.103 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
of that, I think it's easy
to find the ownership
21:11.103 --> 21:13.839 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
because under state statute
and under the laws, you know,
21:13.839 --> 21:17.075 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
the registered person is usually
available on the assessor
21:17.075 --> 21:18.343 align:left position:35% line:89% size:55%
or registers.
21:18.343 --> 21:20.012 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
Transactionally,
sometimes there's delays,
21:20.012 --> 21:21.346 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
but that's pretty accurate.
21:21.346 --> 21:22.914 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
It's finding someone
who's responsible
21:22.914 --> 21:24.616 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
for maintenance is the problem,
21:24.616 --> 21:26.318 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80%
'cause you have these huge LLCs
21:26.318 --> 21:29.755 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
and these LLCs have been
buying single-family properties
21:29.755 --> 21:31.523 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5%
in bulk, right?
21:31.523 --> 21:35.727 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
They buy a huge transactional,
a hundred and fifty at a time
21:35.727 --> 21:38.230 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
just because
the portfolio of properties.
21:38.230 --> 21:41.199 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And then you know,
who's maintaining it?
21:41.199 --> 21:43.535 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
Because they're
gonna be spread out.
21:43.535 --> 21:47.005 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
So that's where the real
trouble is having a local agent
21:47.005 --> 21:48.240 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
to communicate with.
21:48.240 --> 21:49.675 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
That's where we struggle.
21:49.675 --> 21:51.677 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
- And is it a, so
let's say, you know,
21:51.677 --> 21:54.579 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
House Company, LLC owns
these 50 properties.
21:54.579 --> 21:56.948 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
You identify issues
with those properties,
21:56.948 --> 21:58.917 align:left position:25% line:5% size:65%
you can figure out
who the ownership is,
21:58.917 --> 22:01.253 align:left position:27.5% line:5% size:62.5%
but they then say
back to you, what?
22:01.253 --> 22:04.256 align:left position:17.5% line:5% size:72.5%
Like, too bad, we're in
New York and we don't care.
22:04.256 --> 22:06.992 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
I mean, how does
that conversation go?
22:06.992 --> 22:08.327 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65%
- So, great question.
22:08.327 --> 22:10.262 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
And so if you, the data shows
22:10.262 --> 22:13.332 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
that rental properties
generate three times the number
22:13.332 --> 22:16.168 align:left position:22.5% line:5% size:67.5%
of code violations over
owner occupied, right?
22:16.168 --> 22:18.670 align:left position:25% line:5% size:65%
So that's one issue.
22:18.670 --> 22:22.641 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80%
Ownership LLCs don't
necessarily wanna be bad owners.
22:22.641 --> 22:26.178 align:left position:10% line:5% size:80%
So once you finally get
somebody, they'll fix the issue.
22:26.178 --> 22:27.879 align:left position:25% line:5% size:65%
They'll get involved,
22:27.879 --> 22:30.315 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
but it may, it just takes
90 days, 60 to 90 days
22:30.315 --> 22:31.750 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
to get it taken care of.
22:31.750 --> 22:33.018 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
Someone to cut the grass.
22:33.018 --> 22:35.053 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
So that whole, the neighbor
right next door is looking
22:35.053 --> 22:36.555 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
at that grass
growing and growing
22:36.555 --> 22:39.257 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
and why aren't you
taking care of it?
22:39.257 --> 22:41.259 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
Just the time to comply.
22:41.259 --> 22:44.296 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
- And before we go back to Bill
with a few minutes left here,
22:44.296 --> 22:46.498 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
if you do get ahold of
'em and they do refuse,
22:46.498 --> 22:48.333 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
I mean there's gotta be some
owners out there that just say,
22:48.333 --> 22:49.768 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
"No, I'm not doing that.
22:49.768 --> 22:50.902 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
I don't have the
money, whatever."
22:50.902 --> 22:55.540 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
What tools do you have
to force their hand?
22:56.375 --> 22:58.210 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
- There's two different
routes depending on whether
22:58.210 --> 23:01.413 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
or not the property is
occupied or if it's vacant.
23:01.413 --> 23:03.382 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5%
If it's occupied, then we have
23:03.382 --> 23:05.016 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
to cite 'em to
environmental court.
23:05.016 --> 23:06.518 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
That is the only recourse.
23:06.518 --> 23:08.220 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
If it's a vacant property
23:08.220 --> 23:12.190 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and we worked to notify them,
give 'em their time to comply
23:12.190 --> 23:14.226 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
and they don't do
it, then we can cut it,
23:14.226 --> 23:16.628 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
we can assign a contractor
to cut it and then bill them.
23:16.628 --> 23:18.930 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
They don't pay the bill,
we place a lien on the property.
23:18.930 --> 23:20.165 align:left position:35% line:89% size:55%
- Okay, Bill?
23:20.165 --> 23:23.935 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
- So what do you hear
from legislators?
23:23.935 --> 23:26.905 align:left position:22.5% line:5% size:67.5%
I mean, are you
making a dent in this?
23:26.905 --> 23:29.374 align:left position:15% line:5% size:75%
Are people seeing your point?
23:31.643 --> 23:34.146 align:left position:20% line:5% size:70%
Where's it at with them?
23:34.146 --> 23:37.649 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
- Well, I think that they
just, no one sees bureaucracy
23:37.649 --> 23:40.285 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
as good in any shape or form.
23:40.285 --> 23:41.853 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
That's the main pushback.
23:41.853 --> 23:43.855 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
It's like, you know what, you
guys are gonna make it hard.
23:43.855 --> 23:46.258 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
You're gonna make it hard
on the good landlords,
23:46.258 --> 23:48.560 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
we'll call it as good
landlords, quote unquote.
23:48.560 --> 23:50.128 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And you know, they're
gonna be penalized
23:50.128 --> 23:51.797 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
'cause they're the
local guys doing the job
23:51.797 --> 23:54.666 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
and you're gonna make it
impossible for them or you're
23:54.666 --> 23:56.535 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
gonna make it more expensive for
them or harder for them.
23:56.535 --> 23:59.471 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
And I can understand
that they think
23:59.471 --> 24:00.972 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
that we're inefficient.
24:00.972 --> 24:03.608 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
We're gonna, we're bureaucratic
and it's gonna be complicated.
24:03.608 --> 24:06.211 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
But I say that it's not,
you know, with technology,
24:06.211 --> 24:08.914 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
we have made so
many improvements
24:08.914 --> 24:13.919 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
to the complexities and make
it efficient so that it's easy.
24:14.920 --> 24:17.489 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
Relatively, we had so many
ways that we're gonna,
24:17.489 --> 24:18.690 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
you know, minimize this
24:18.690 --> 24:23.328 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
and mean make it more, you
know, I think acceptable.
24:23.328 --> 24:25.263 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
But we did so much
in stakeholder
24:25.263 --> 24:26.431 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5%
engagement throughout this.
24:26.431 --> 24:28.166 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
It wasn't like we just
came up with this idea,
24:28.166 --> 24:29.334 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
we're gonna go with it.
24:29.334 --> 24:31.470 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
I spent two years engaging
with local stakeholders
24:31.470 --> 24:33.371 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
'cause the program
that we started with
24:33.371 --> 24:35.407 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
changed dramatically
based on their inputs
24:35.407 --> 24:37.542 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
because I understood
that they were like,
24:37.542 --> 24:39.177 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
oh my gosh, you're, you know,
24:39.177 --> 24:40.812 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
you're gonna make it
impossible for me.
24:40.812 --> 24:42.948 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5%
- Right, right.
24:42.948 --> 24:47.252 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
You also have a
blight task force
24:47.252 --> 24:50.689 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
or a strike team I think
for several years now
24:50.689 --> 24:54.092 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
you've had that in place,
maybe one or two years.
24:54.092 --> 24:56.328 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
How has that worked out?
24:56.328 --> 24:59.164 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
And we should point out
that the strike team
24:59.164 --> 25:02.267 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5%
is kind of a more general form
25:02.267 --> 25:05.003 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
of blight than just
a rental property
25:05.003 --> 25:07.339 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
that's not in
good condition, right?
25:07.339 --> 25:10.342 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
This is used tires,
those kind of things.
25:10.342 --> 25:12.544 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
- Yeah, illegal dumping
is the huge challenge.
25:12.544 --> 25:13.912 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
It's grown quite a bit.
25:13.912 --> 25:17.382 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
It really exploded like
300% during the pandemic.
25:17.382 --> 25:19.985 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
And people were just probably
sitting home, didn't know.
25:19.985 --> 25:22.554 align:left position:27.5% line:83% size:62.5%
They don't have to
look at this stuff.
25:22.554 --> 25:25.624 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
So yeah, I created
Environmental Enforcement
25:25.624 --> 25:26.925 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
who is the main group.
25:26.925 --> 25:29.761 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80%
We added an illegal dumping
component with this last budget
25:29.761 --> 25:33.365 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
to really add more resources
so they could handle all of it
25:33.365 --> 25:35.100 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
'cause it used to be
a multi-divisional,
25:35.100 --> 25:36.568 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
multi-agency response.
25:36.568 --> 25:39.671 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
So we have covert cameras,
we have a whole team
25:39.671 --> 25:42.173 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
that do nothing but
tackle illegal dumping
25:42.173 --> 25:43.909 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
and used tires are a plague.
25:43.909 --> 25:45.677 align:left position:22.5% line:83% size:67.5%
I don't even know where
they all come from.
25:45.677 --> 25:46.945 align:left position:35% line:89% size:55%
It's amazing.
25:46.945 --> 25:48.847 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75%
- We will, we're out of time.
25:48.847 --> 25:50.081 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5%
We'll leave it on that.
25:50.081 --> 25:51.449 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
I forgot to ask you about
how people report potholes.
25:51.449 --> 25:53.251 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
We'll talk about that
in the podcast on radio--
25:53.251 --> 25:54.886 align:left position:25% line:83% size:65%
- 3-1-1.
- Because it's 3-1-1
25:54.886 --> 25:56.855 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5%
and they can report potholes,
and you guys will go fix them.
25:56.855 --> 25:58.390 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
Robert Knecht, thanks
very much for being here.
25:58.390 --> 25:59.925 align:left position:30% line:83% size:60%
We're outta time.
Thank you, Bill.
25:59.925 --> 26:02.494 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75%
If you missed any of the
show, you can go to WKNO.org
26:02.494 --> 26:04.596 align:left position:17.5% line:83% size:72.5%
or The Daily Memphian site,
or search for us on YouTube
26:04.596 --> 26:05.830 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70%
and get the full episode.
26:05.830 --> 26:08.099 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70%
Thanks very much and
we'll see you next week.
26:08.099 --> 26:11.202 align:left position:17.5% line:5% size:72.5%
[intense orchestral music]
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