City passes no smoking on job sites


Thursday, August 13, 2009
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City passes no smoking on job sites

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

A suggestion by John Collins, general manager of the utility department, that the city pass a no smoking rule on the job site to save on insurance, was taken up by the board of aldermen last week and extended to include all city employees as well.

Collins asked to declare Holly Springs Utility Department a smoke-free environment to save 3 percent on the insurance premium, which he said would be a significant decrease to the utility in operating costs.

He said he had already talked with his employees about the possible move. There would be no smoking on any trucks or any property where utility crews are working, he said. Employees who want to smoke will be required to take their smoke breaks off the job site, he said, which in some cases would be down the street.

After the board of aldermen motioned to approve Collins’ request, some aldermen suggested that while the action was being taken up, why not make the motion to include all city employees, not just HSUD.

The motion was altered and passed unanimously.

In other HSUD business before the board of aldermen, Collins took a concern from alderman Garrie Colhoun who said citizens are complaining about the manner crews cut limbs over power lines.

“I don’t know who taught these guys how to cut trees,” he said. “They whack ’em off and drop limbs on bushes and don’t tend to the tree. There’s a proper way to trim trees.”

Collins said he does not guarantee a pruning service but there have been some problem with employees dropping limbs on patios.

Colhoun fussed about the limbs being left on the curb too long.

Collins said HSUD borrows the city’s brush truck and goes back to pick up limbs that have been removed over power lines.

Collins also introduced one candidate for a lineman position to the board.

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