JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Time is running out on the garbage collection contract, and the people of Jackson want leaders to make a decision.
“We think that this city has to work for everybody and that this whole thing has been a charade that has wasted all of our time, and we’re looking forward to getting this settled so we can go back to crime and infrastructure and all these other things that are so critical,” said Bishop Ronnie Crudup, Sr.
The City Council went straight into executive session for more than an hour on Thursday. Once it reopened, the mayor pulled the only other agenda item; the execution of the Richard`s Disposal, Inc. garbage collection contract.
“I cannot say at this time, and I will not say at this time, but we will be moving forward, and the only reason I pulled it was for a procedural concern,” said Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba.
“This was placed on the agenda by Council President Lindsay. The mayor did not place this on the agenda. So because he didn’t, he asked that it be pulled. Apparently, he wanted to place something else on the agenda, so we’ll wait and see what that is,” said Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks.
Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley has a different opinion. He said City Council is fighting over the wrong issues, and a garbage contract isn’t Jacksonians main concern.
“I just had a town hall meeting the other night, and the residents told me that there are reasons that they’re leaving the city. They said it was abandoned houses on the streets, overgrown lots, drug houses, gunshots on the street, backed up sewage and in the streets and in their homes, potholes, drinking water that they can’t drink and broken water lines,” said Hartley.
A local activist group said they stand with the mayor and his fight for the best contract possible, but they agreed with Hartley that a decision needs to be made so the city can move on to other matters.