AS THE ORDER CAME DOWN TUESDAY. THE MILWAUKEE COMMON COUNCIL VOTING UNANIMOUSLY TO ORDER THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO PICK UP CHRISTMAS TREES POST HOLIDAY A WEEK AFTER DPW SAID THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE PROVIDING THE SERVICE. THE COUNCIL HAS COME TO THE RESCUE. WE’VE SAVED CHRISTMAS. WE’VE SAVED CHRISTMAS TREES. THE RESOLUTION COMING A DAY AFTER SPARKS FLEW IN A COMMON COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT THE ABRUPT DECISION. THIS IS A BASIC FUNCTION OF CITY GOVERNMENT. THIS IS NOT SPLITTING THE ATOM. PEOPLE ARE --. I’M -- OFF ABOUT IT. THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ADMITTED IT LEARNED FROM STATE OFFICIALS LAST JANUARY THAT THE TREES WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN LANDFILLS, BUT THE DEPARTMENT DIDN’T TELL THE COMMON COUNCIL OR RESIDENTS UNTIL THIS MONTH, SAYING IT WAS WAITING FOR MORE GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE. WE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO PICK UP CHRISTMAS TREES. STARTING DECEMBER 26TH AND RUNNING THROUGH TO APRIL. SO THEY’RE GOING TO PICK THEM UP AS LONG AS PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THEM OUT AND WE’RE GOING TO DISPOSE OF THEM IN A WAY THAT’S CONSISTENT WITH LAW, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE LANDFILL. AND SOME PEOPLE THAT SEE THIS STORY ARE NOW WONDERING HOW THEY CAN TRUST CITY GOVERNMENT IF THERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF COMMUNICATION SUCH AS THIS ON SOMETHING SO SIMPLE AS PICKING UP CHRISTMAS TREES. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE? WELL, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE CAUGHT IT AND WE FIXED IT. IF ANYTHING, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY WORKING THE WAY IT’S INTENDED. TODAY’S VOTE MAKING IT FINAL THAT CHRISTMAS TREES WILL BE PICKED UP FROM YOUR CURB, AT LEAST FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.