JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Mayor Lenny Curry mentioned how the city would scale back its ambitions when it comes to handling garbage. Recycling pick-ups could be put on pause.
Bags of trash have been sitting on curbs for weeks, while neighbors are at their wit's end, the city is asking for patience.
Wednesday was trash day in the Westside area. Floridians told First Coast News household garbage was picked up. However, yard waste and recycling have not been touched for a month.
Peter Jansson wants a permanent solution. He's not putting anything on the curb unless he knows it will get picked up.
"I'm just letting things go until we have something that's going to happen," Jansson explained.
As of now, he's cut back on specific yard duty. All he can do is wait to see how the city will handle the trash that's been left out for weeks. Jansson said if one would drive around his neighborhood, they would see "quite a bit of trash in people's yards, on the curb waiting for pick up."
Mayor Curry said officials appropriated $4 million dollars in federal money to address the backlog. Curry explained how there is a national labor shortage and Jacksonville was no exception.
"We are considering temporarily suspending recycling to remove yard waste," Mayor Curry said.
Councilman Matt Carlucci is on board with the proposal. He told First Coast News the city is doing the best they can.
"I've been doing this a long time. This is my fourth term as a council member, I've never had this problem before," Carlucci said.
The experience is similar for Peter Jansson. To the Westside resident, if recyclables have to be put on the back end, so be it.
"I feel my recycling bin up every two weeks," Jansson said. "That's it's scheduled to be picked up and our recycling hasn't been picked up in weeks."