JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Jackson City Council held a special meeting on Wednesday, April 12 to discuss garbage collection.

The city was found in violation in regard to trash collection, according to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

People packed City Hall as the council met to try to come up with a solution to the trash you. However, councilmembers failed to vote in favor of a one-year emergency contract with Richard’s Disposal for garbage collection.

MDEQ has been calculating penalties against the city since April 1 with the amount being around $900,000 as of Wednesday, April 12.

“We have spent over $200,000 in legal fees with moving invoices that we still have not paid,” said Councilwoman Angelique Lee, Ward 2.

Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba said he was not satisfied with how the meeting unfolded.

“I didn’t come in here trying to fight today. I didn’t come in here trying to battle the council today. I didn’t come in here trying to disagree today. All we came in here today to do was pick up your trash. That’s all we wanted to do was pick up your trash,” he stated.

“The citizens are being poorly served by the government. Period, and we should expect more. Everything could have been avoided by making a decision 12 months ago, six months ago, 90 days ago. We didn’t have to go into this public health hazard in order to make a decision,” said Councilman Vernon Hartley, Ward 5, who was one of the councilmembers who voted against the one-year contract.

The attorney for Richard’s Disposal announced this week that the company will sue the City of Jackson.

With the garbage contract dispute in Jackson, Richard’s Disposal’s Attorney John Walker said they are appealing the April 1 denial to give the company a six-year contract.

On Monday, April 17, there will be a hearing on the matter between the City Council and the mayor at the Hinds Chancery Court over the garbage contract. The meeting will start at 8:00 a.m.

Dumpsters will be available for residents between 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14 in the parking lot of Metrocenter Mall. Leaders said only household trash can be dropped off.

There will be no drop off location on Saturday, April 15.