JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba filed a complaint against Jackson City Council on Wednesday asking a judge who as the right to issue an emergency contract.
According to the document, the complaint seeks to declare a local emergency concerning the collection of residential solid waste. The current emergency contract for residential solid waste collection is set to expire March 31.
The mayor procured a new contract with Richard’s Disposal, even though city council voted down to replace Waste Management. Beginning April 1, Richard’s Disposal will be collecting waste for Jackson neighbors.
If waste is not properly disposed and causes civil and environmental risks, the city faces a penalty of $25,000 each day, according to the document.
Richard’s Disposal President said he’s ready to move forward with garbage collection.
“We got everything that we need to do to start April first with the trucks, the employees, the buildings and everything that we need.”
“We’ll do everything we can to help the citizens of Jackson to keep the city clean and as our objective, but there’s some you can do and some you can’t, but we don’t know exactly what all the other issues as we’ve been right in that area. There is trash piles in certain zones out there, that is not for us to collect. But the city has to work some of those out themselves, but we will assist the city out of getting those cleaned up. if we were asked to do so.”
Richards said he couldn’t answer any questions about payments from the city, but just that they would be ready to roll out with 16 trucks next month.
Waste Management has also filed a lawsuit against the mayor and city council for failure to follow the RFP process and “negotiate in good faith with participants who submitted proposals.”
To view the full complaint, click here.