Albuquerque –
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s office sent the media an email touting city staff “came together” for daily cleanups in the Albuquerque area during the time frame of October 2nd through October 11th. The email made it seem like City of Albuquerque employees were the ones who proudly volunteered and gladly signed up for the cleanups. The city employees were made to appear like they would much rather get out in the hot sun and don green vests and souvenir city leather gloves and enthusiastically go pick up trash on the city roadways and around city properties than do their actual duties that they were hired for.
The City of Albuquerque bosses were kind enough to exclude drug infested needles and human feces from what workers had to pick up.
Earlier in the month, we learned there was an email sent out to City of Albuquerque workers saying they MUST sign up for the cleanups. This volun-told work would fall under the other duties assigned in the employment with the City. The email today said:
“The Administration worked with city departments to provide protective gear for all employees who wish to be a part of the effort. Unclassified City staff, as well as E and I series employees, were required to sign up for at least one shift. Employees were exempt from participating if such participation would have a negative impact to public safety, operation of a city facility or as deemed otherwise by the department director.“
We asked the Director of Communications and Marketing for the Mayor’s Office, Staci Drangmeister, a what if question. We wanted clarification about what would happen to a city worker who did not want to do the trash clean up field trip. We asked if they would be punished and whether or not there was alternative work offered. In Keller’s typical internal policy towards us we were not afforded a response back.
The email said:
Over 700 staff, including the Mayor, the Chief Administrative Officer, and all department directors, have participated. 10,000 pounds of trash has been picked up as of Friday, October 4, through this initiative.
It is unclear if any collective bargaining complaints have been filed for this type of forced work project. The Transit Department is typically responsible for cleaning up trash and debris. It is also unclear if staffing levels are extremely low which forced the city to delegate the debris pick up to other city workers.
We would hope that the men and women who typically clean up trash as their daily activities would now be offered field trips to work in the Mayor’s office playing solitaire and hiding behind barricaded doors or even landing airplanes at the aviation department.
Wow the gall of this administration to make this mess and make them clean up. If they have time to clean up during working hours … do we really need them working for the city?
No they didn’t have time to clean up during working hours but the mayor didn’t care about their duties. Only about how he looks to the public
True
Nobody was held at gunpoint and told to clean up ABQ. City workers were allowed to participate or opt-out. Those employees that did participate were PAID.
Don’t like the idea of keeping our city clean?
Move to TexASS!!
Article stated the question would anyone recieve a repercussion if they chose not to pick up trash. No response. That’s fine. State your source of what you know? Or don’t know Mr. Obvious NotObjective.
Texas happens to be a lot cleaner than New Mexico. I should know, I used to live there. At least they have the backbone to move their homeless out of their state! I also worked for the city of ABQ for about 12 years. And I can tell you firsthand, these employees were under a “volunteer or else” request. That’s just the way the city treats they’re employees. Why do you think they’re offering hiring bonuses? Ummm. Because no one wants to work for them.
Texas is very well taken care of compared to ABQ
Isn’t it amazing, miraculous, that this city can be clean, trash and vagrant free, no pnahandlers on any corners for the 10 days of Balloon Fiesta, but NOT for the remainder of the year, when the taxpayers have to look at it, smell it, see it, be in fear of it? It’s simple a miracle. 10 days, just for TOURISTS.
If the Mayor picked up anything, I’m sure it was only for a photo-op.
It was a 2 hour shift. I don’t think that is so terrible.
Why don’t you go pick up trash then if it’s not that terrible
Suck it up, buttercup.
You got that right! Where’s the Union on this.
Sure pay me for the 2 hours. I already pick up trash as I walk.
Lots of us already pick up trash for free… FFS even my private sector job requires me to “volunteer” (on the clock) 40 hours per year. Stop being lazy and start caring about your city
Care about the city? People voted these so called city officials for the people. Agreed to defend the police allowed open border to allow anyone to live in the city! Drug cartels and criminals moved in to drug trafficking and human trafficking. Yeah care about city?
Right on!!
Do you city and quit crying
lol…they might pick up up
Good job by those who participated. The mayor should be out every day picking up everything including feces and needles…after all, he promotes murdering unborn humans…it will be a lot worse when he meets his Maker
You are absolutely correct, sir.
The mayor, governor and all who’ve voted for them will be held accountable for their Godless actions.
As an ex city worker so glad I left that dumpster fire what a joke, where was the so called union they keep paying dues for.
What is terrible is the state of the city is so bad we have to resort to this …. but only for the tourists. Citizens who pay taxes do not matter.
Cities around the country have this happen all time clean up for tourists then let the homeless back and continue business as usual trip and fall over used drug needles dodge feces and careful not to step in urine!
YES…So sad that employees of the city are asked to be good citizens…
Employees represented by unions were not forced to clean up trash for the mayor to act like he’s making a difference in this city. He is only doing this for the photo op since he’s planning on running for office again.
I totally agree! Our city is starting to look like a dump with all the trash and debris. As mayor, it is Keller’s responsibility to keep our city safe and clean. He is failing considerably!
What story book have you been reading from?
Travel once in a while. Then drive to Los Lunas. Then fly a drone over west Mesa and then lastly east Mesa south of Isleta. The Ballon fliers see Juarez Jr..
Never seen such a mess like this around KS. NM needs leaders to take pride in the whole state. Not just popular tourist stops and their gated communities.
What office ? Keep me posted! Lord have mercy on our souls.
How horribly cynical you are. The tone of this article had nothing to do with legitimate journalism. Last time
I use this site.
Journalism? You mean like MSNBC, Rachael Maddow, Joy Reid?
My mom works for the city and I was not happy they sent her out there in the sun to pick up trash on central and wyoming! My mom is stage 3 Is breast cancer in chemo!!!!…. wtf??? Ftm…..
Where were the Union? Asleep on a siesta?
What office ? Keep me posted! Lord have mercy on our souls.
Transit is NOT responsible for all trash numb nuts. SOLID WASTE is. Sounds like you’ve got beef with the mayor and not city workers. Choose your beef wisely.
Just like San Francisco when the Chinese came to visit.
Proving that they can keep the streets clean, just not for you, the suckers who live here. I wish politicians would actually work for the people who elect them… that’ll never happen.
Maybe if we went back to the old tar and feather trick that worked so well for our founding fathers.
Oh please you know half the time the people in the offices are walking around getting coffee saying they have something to do while they’re all chitchatting!! You know they shop on line I have seen it many times!! other departments are forced to do other jobs other duties! you signed up as a city employee. It states it in what you signed.
How hard is it to pitch in and clean your City. solid waste gets drafted to do other things, overtime, forced overtime. How many made a news report to cry but if your trash isn’t picked up oh. Hell make that complaint, how about Transit gets forced overtime. They get told to do the Fourth of July. Forced to do illuminati tour and the police department gets forced and told to do certain things.. while these people in offices. Get to sit around and have extra holidays off. extra days While the rest of us work. Your a city employee you signed up, so shut up!
More proof that dems care more about illegals and felons. How come the pos felons or paroled are not out there cleaning it up? They should be out there fixing our roads and cleaning up 24/7. Don’t want to work? No worries, a tent city prison will be waiting for them. The reason the worthless dems wont do such things, is because crime is good fro “bidness.” Crime, welfare, poverty, and abysmal education is what the dem party believes in.