Jackson, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba hosted a ‘Trash Talk’ town hall on Tuesday, April 26 for people to voice their opinions on the recent garbage dispute and Richard’s Disposal’s performance.
Lumumba opened his town hall with a brief overview of the recent garbage dispute between him and City Council members. One of the biggest issues on the minds of neighbors was trash pick up.
“Leaving the trash out and not picking it up on a regular schedule, that’s creating an issue,” said one resident.
The mayor said a major reason Richard’s had issues was because they didn’t have the city’s routes or codes for gated communities.
“We gave this company mere days to prepare to handle this contract when a transition like this normally takes about three to four months,” said Lumumba.
Others said they haven’t had any issues with Richard’s so far. Representatives from Richard’s Disposal said they’re working to improve in the city.
“We’re here to work with the community, and we’re to get the job done, and we’ll show you that it will get done,” said the Chief Marketing Officer of Richard’s Disposal, Deidra Jones.
Richard’s also clarified the four holidays they’ll still pick up on; New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Some members of the City Council said Richard’s does not have a valid contract with the City and cannot be paid, which the mayor also addressed.
“I can tell you that they certainly aren’t trying to do this voluntarily, and we expect to pay. It is a principle that says in the City of Jackson can’t have them fulfilling service and not pay them,” said Lumumba.
The mayor responded to concerns about negative reviews about Richard’s from citizens in New Orleans as well.
“Somebody on one of the internet rating apps gave them a 1.8 for service, which is accessible to anybody that had a negative experience at that time. It is not an evaluation tool,” said Lumumba.
The garbage contract dispute is still being battled out in court. The mayor said Richard’s is operating under a temporary emergency contract. A long-term contract agreement with Richard’s Disposal would be for six years with four one year options after.