JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Jackson City Council held a special meeting on Thursday to ratify the garbage collection contract with Richard’s Disposal.

The amended contract eliminated garbage carts in an effort to save residents’ money.

On Tuesday, the City Council voted in favor 4-3 to the amended contract. Richard’s Disposal will provide solid waste services for six years. The new contract goes into effect on April 1, 2024.

The proposed contract with carts would have cost $891,000. Councilman Ashby Foote, Ward 1, thought they would get $4.3 million in savings by taking out the carts.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba said what some of the Council failed to appreciate is that there were some sunken costs that couldn’t be removed.

“One the the rear loaders that the cans were to attach to that empties the can out, those are already purchased. Those are already on the trucks. So, Mr. Richards can’t get that back. Right? That’s something that they didn’t know was a part of that $96 fee that was applied for the cans. The fact that the cans themselves help reduce workman’s comp claims, because that means that the workers have less to pick up, because they would have had the opportunity to take the cans to the rear loaders. The rear loaders then grab the can and empty them,” the mayor said.

The city is currently under an emergency contract with Richard’s Disposal.