THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, September 5, 2025 Page 5 TRASH | FROM PAGE 1 lence between the company’s officials and Teamsters Local 25, which is representing the waste hauler workers. Malden has been proactive in trying to keep up with trash pickups, with alternatives and continued contact with residents and its departments to deal with the crisis. The Malden City Council has been monitoring the situation since the strike started on July 1, and many Councillors have been in constant communication with Mayor Gary Christenson, his leadership team and department heads, such as Department of Public Works Director Bob Knox. Last week the Council’s Finance Committee, which is chaired by Councillor-at-Large Carey McDonald, held a meeting centered on the trash crisis, and it was attended by Mayor Christenson, his leadership team and several City Councillors, including Finance Committee members Councillors-at-Large Craig Spadafora and Karen Colón Hayes, Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon and Ward 6 Councillor Stephen Winslow. Also in attendance at the August 27 meeting were City Council President Amanda Linehan (Ward 3), Ward 1 Councillor Peg Crowe and Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley. Malden’s Chief Strategy Officer, Ron Hogan, gave an overview of the trash crisis, including a detailed timeline of July 1, Day ELECTION | FROM PAGE 1 will be held at the City Clerk’s Office located at 215 Pleasant St., Room 220: Tuesday, September 2, 8 a.m.7 p.m. Wednesday, September 3, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, September 4, 8 a.m. -5 p.m. Monday, September 8, 8 a.m.7 p.m. Tuesday, September 9, 8 a.m.7 p.m. Wednesday, September 10, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, September 11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Voter Information & Resources: To check your voter registration status or locate your polling place, visit https://www.sec. state.ma.us/ele/ One of the strike, to the present, as well as breakdowns on how the city has addressed the crisis, working with Republic Services. Basically, Republic Services has hired replacement workers to drive its trucks and haul Malden’s trash on a regular, but more limited basis. The trucks had been hauling regular trash and recycling, but city officials announced this week that there would be a pause in recycling pickups. The city instead has initiated drop-offs for residents in various spots around the city, which, the Mayor reported at the meeting, have been successful. “I commend and thank our residents for their response to the new initiative,” Mayor Christenson said. “We had to commit our available resources to trash removal, and we still have to remove the recyclable materials as well.” “We have to continue to work together to get through this,” the Mayor added. “This is the first time we have ever faced this as a community, and we have shown we can help each other.” The Mayor related a story of how one woman went door-todoor sharing messages about trash and recycling pickups (and the pause) on her own accord. “That’s a wonderful example of how our residents help one another,” he said. Hogan said he and other city officials have often been asked why the city has not looked into hiring another company to come in and remove the trash. “This would not be an alternative since none of the other companies are willing to step into this situation since most of them are also staffed by union personnel and are not going to cross any lines.” DPW Chief Knox explained that one of the reasons why the replacement workers are unable to handle more work is actual hours they are restricted to: 60 hours of work maximum per week. City officials at the meeting also noted that they are going to move toward stricter enforcement of compliance with existing regulations, since it is getting out of hand on some streets in some neighborhoods, with trash being left around the city. Councillor-at-Large Spadafora said the noncompliance and lax trash placement in front of homes was a problem way before the trash strike began and has gotten progressively worse since the strike began. “I see this systemic problem getting worse,” Councillor Spadafora said. He noted that an unfilled inspector’s position is vacant and that this might be an option to help with compliance. According to city ordinance, there is actually an option to write violation tickets. No Councillors spoke against that scenario. Hogan suggested that in addition to violation tickets, the Councillors pass a measure where the city would charge residents the cost of removal of non-regular waste stream items, such as mattresses, televisions and tires. As to direct health issues, Hogan also detailed how the city has increased and addressed an uptick in rodents with the increase in trash on the sidewalks and at homes and apartments. If We Happen To Meet By Accident ... You’ll Be Glad You Found Us! 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