JACKSONVILLE, Fla — It's been four months since recycling was easy in Jacksonville.
The pause to curbside recycling to get ahead on collecting yard waste may be lasting longer than you had expected. City Council members are now asking for your help to work out a way to get it back.
City Councilmember Matt Carlucci is hosting two town hall meetings to explain what the recycling holdup is and work toward a solution with your help.
The first meeting is Monday at 6:45 p.m. at West Branch Library, 1425 Chaffee Rd. The second is Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Chapel Hall of Arlington Baptist Church at 6009 Arlington Rd.
In the past four months, First Coast News has heard from plenty of you: stories of elderly people unable to lift large bins into their cars and people without cars unable to transport their recycling. Carlucci says four months is too long.
"Once people know what the problem is, most people are willing to pitch in to help solve it," Carlucci said.
He says two big points need to be addressed. The first one is that labor market issues with haulers need to be looked at. Carlucci says the rate review process needs to be expedited.
"I suspect it's probably going take a little more dollars, a little more money to pay the other haulers to allow them to pay a wage that will attract drivers," Carlucci said.
Carlucci's second point is the question of whether solid waste fees need to be increased. The fee you pay now isn't enough to pay for the whole service, according to Carlucci. The city's general fund is helping pay for it, but because of that, Carlucci says the city now has a loan that will top $30 million this fiscal year.
"Whether we pay more through a fee," he said. "That really would be, I think, ideally the best way to go. But our city also doesn't have a great fondness of garbage fees."
What are your thoughts? Let First Coast News know on social media and let city councilmembers know at the town hall meetings.