Fired solid waste workers struggle

This story appeared as part of the 2010 Year In Review issue. The Daily Tar Heel resumes publication Jan. 10.

Christmas celebrations will have to be a little smaller this year for Chapel Hill native Clyde Clark.

Both Clark and his ex-coworker Kerry Bigelow are scaling back this holiday season after losing their jobs with the Chapel Hill solid waste department Oct. 29.

But while both men, recently dubbed the “Sanitation 2” by their supporters, have been battling to return to their former jobs for weeks, they are still waiting for a definitive answer from the town.

“You’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty,” Bigelow said. “But we’re having to prove our innocence.”

After filing grievances regarding their terminations Nov. 12, Bigelow and Clark attended their appeal hearings Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Deputy Town Manager Florentine Miller presided over the hearings and said she would have answers for Bigelow and Clark by Dec. 14.

In the mean time, Bigelow and Clark said they just have to wait for the town’s decision.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time,” Clark said.

The town’s investigation of the two employees began Sept. 20 when they were placed on paid administrative leave.

In the six weeks that followed, Kevin von der Lippe, an investigator for Capital Associated Industries Inc., conducted interviews with Bigelow and Clark’s coworkers and the residents who filed complaints against them.

During this time, Bigelow and Clark received salary payments from the town that collectively totaled more than $5,900.

Following von der Lippe’s investigation, Public Works Director Lance Norris wrote in an Oct. 29 memorandum that Bigelow and Clark were fired for insubordination, threatening or intimidating behavior and unsatisfactory job performance.

Despite help from the N.C. chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the N.C. Public Service Workers’ Union, of which Bigelow and Clark are both members, both men said making ends meet without unemployment funding has been difficult.

Alan McSurely, the civil rights attorney who represents Bigelow and Clark, said finding jobs will be especially difficult for Bigelow and Clark, who are both black, during the current economic downturn.

“If the white population is getting a cold, the black community is catching pneumonia,” he said, referring to unemployment.

Bigelow, who began working for the town in July 2007 after working as an equipment operator in Burlington for 18 years, said he has had to dip into his savings to support his wife and three daughters.

“I’m trying to feed and take care of my family,” Bigelow said. “This is making it a lot harder.”

Clark, who grew up in public housing in the Northside neighborhood, said not working has been an adjustment, but he’s been lucky by having lots of friends in the area to help him.

“It’s just been hard,” he said. “When you’re used to getting a paycheck, you find out that the bills don’t stop coming just because your paychecks did.”

Despite this lack of income, Clark said he is not looking for another job.

“I’m looking to get reinstated,” he said. “I’m ready to go back to work.”

Contact the City Editor at city@dailytarheel.com.