THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS of Mildred Lee, the solid waste and recycling manager for Greenville, SC, leave no doubt as to why the city's solid waste operation is successful. Lee has helped secure more than $500,000 in grant funding to assist with public educational efforts, professional development opportunities, and equipment needs. One of the crown jewels in Lee's ongoing solid waste collection improvement efforts was the city's transition from a dual-stream, manual collection curbside recycling program to a single-stream, automated collection system, resulting in an 11% increase in recycling tonnage collected. The project earned a 2018 bronze Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) award in the automated collection system category. To address the demand for better, more efficient ways of managing workloads, employees, and time, Lee in 2013 helped lead an effort to convert Greenville's solid waste collection services from a five-day to a four-day work week. In 2016, Lee began a supervisory mentoring program for front-line solid waste employees interested in a supervisory position which has transitioned two employees to management roles. She also started a "Thursday Lunch Chat" in which she randomly selects a solid waste crew and takes them to lunch. It serves as a platform for employee appreciation as well as an opportunity for crew members to discuss issues of concern they feel uncomfortable discussing with immediate supervisors. The effort is intended to mitigate low morale and boost employee retention. Lee enjoys being a team player and has no qualms jumping on a piece of equipment with her crew as she did in 2017 to help cleanup efforts from flooding following a massive rainstorm. Lee has amassed a long list of accolades: the Focused on Our Community Award in 2004, Most Valuable Player-City of Greenville, and the Outstanding Municipal Waste Reduction/ Recycling Program Award in 2006. She is a member of the Carolina Recycling Association, the American Public Works Association, and SWANA, from which she is certified in collection management and transfer stations.
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