City to recommend vendor for garbage collection in coming weeks. See more

The City of Jackson's Solid Waste Division will recommend a vendor for garbage collection for the rest of 2024 in the coming weeks.

The announcement was made by Lakesha Weathers, the city's solid waste supervisor, during the Jackson City Council's second monthly meeting on Thursday. Weathers told the council a recommendation will be made either by Feb. 1 or at their next meeting, which will be on Jan. 30, according to the city's website.

Two vendors have responded to the city's request for proposals that was issued in November, though Weathers declined to name what two garbage companies were vying for the contract. A panel of six in the solid waste division reviews all vendors who respond to the RFP, then makes a recommendation to Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. Lumumba will then take that recommendation to the council for final approval.

Garbage collection has been a hot topic at council meetings for the better part of a year ever since the trash crisis in April 2023. Currently, the city is in an emergency contract with Richard's Disposal. The contract expires on March 31.

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Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley urged collaboration between the council and the city on the choosing of a vendor, saying residents have contacted him and don't want to see more arguments over the matter.

"We need to get on the same page for the sake of the people," Hartley said. "We need to show the public that we're working together, that we have their interests in the center of what we're doing."

The council sued Lumumba last April after he tried to bypass the council's rejection of Richard's Disposal for a long-term contract. Lumumba has consistently stated that the mayor is the only one who can negotiate contracts between vendors and the city. Other council members, such as Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote and Ward 6 Councilman and Council Presidents Aaron Banks, reject this claim, saying the decision lies with the "governing authority," which includes the council.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson trash: City to recommend vendor for garbage collection