JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson leaders are moving forward with a short-term solution to address overgrown cemeteries in the capital city.

The Jackson City Council voted 4-1 to move forward with allowing PDT Logistics to maintain the cemeteries until September 2024. They agreed to pay the company no more than $75,000 for services.

Mowing and grounds maintenance was taken out of the Parks and Recreations Department and placed in the Solid Waste Division due to a lack of resources, according to Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba.

The city is nearing the end of budget season, which the mayor said is why they don’t have a contract up for the bid yet.

“It’s a professional service, right? Professional services are not bid out. Right? These are companies that she in her work with grass cutting and working with companies reached out to the company she thought had the ability to do it and cutting cemetery is a more difficult undertaking than just cutting right away. That’s because obviously, people care about the plots that their families have in front of their graves. You want to make certain that you don’t harm anything. You can’t just run through with a zero term in a cemetery. And so, it requires a certain level of professional effort to do it correctly,” said Lumumba.

The Council also moved forward with city right-of-way maintenance services to clear pathways of overhanging trees and limbs.

Lumumba said an request for proposals (RFP) will be issued soon as they look into long-term solutions.