ST. LOUIS 鈥 Complaints about spotty trash pickup service and overflowing dumpsters in the city continued to pile up on social media聽鈥 and at the Board of Aldermen, where again on Friday, several exasperated aldermen called on Mayor Tishaura O. Jones鈥 administration to take action.
Alderman Sharon Tyus, 1st Ward, whose committee held a hearing on the issue earlier this month, proposed that the city again suspend pickup of recyclables so refuse workers can spend all their time on trash.
Trash has not been picked up for almost two weeks on the north alley of the 6000 block of Westminster. 鈦︹仼 appreciate your service. Thanks
鈥 Holohan Michael (@mpholohan)
鈥淢y texts are lit up, my emails are lit up, people are not happy with what鈥檚 going on,鈥 added Alderman Carol Howard, 14th Ward.
Residents are paying for trash pickup 鈥渁nd the services are not being delivered鈥 as promised, Howard added.
Aldermen Joe Vaccaro, 23rd Ward, and Marlene Davis, 19th Ward, also criticized the pace of pickup.
People are also reading…
Here we go again! Trash is at best being picked up every two weeks! Please advise the citizens how much of a discount we can expect on our trash bills.
鈥 Car Wash Joe (@carwashdaddy)
In a videoconference news conference later Friday, Streets Director Betherny Williams said refuse division crews have been working seven days a week to try to catch up. She also said some mechanics will begin a second shift next week to allow trucks to be repaired in the evening.
Tower Grove east is drowning in trash. When are you going to fix it?
鈥 not who you think (@Joule)
Williams reiterated that part of the problem is due to a continued shortage of trash truck drivers and mechanics.
trash pick up needed TODAY. 38xx & 36xx alley,Botanical & Shenandoah. 1st pic is 3819 Botanical
鈥 Sounds the Alarm in Silver Bullet City of St 亚洲无码 (@GConnolly314)
Another issue, she said, has been numerous thefts of dumpster hooks which keeps trucks from lifting the dumpsters. She said 237 hooks have been repaired in the last two months.
Asked about recycling, Williams said the city is 鈥渆valuating how frequent recyclable items are picked up.鈥
Saturday morning stroll in my alley. And , it鈥檚 been reported already.
鈥 Valerie Schremp Hahn 馃摪 (@valeriehahn)
At a committee hearing earlier this month, Tyus and other aldermen were sharply critical about trash service, and questioned why the administration restarted recycling pickup when it was struggling with equipment and staffing shortages.
Tyus complained that north St. 亚洲无码 was disproportionately affected, though aldermen from other neighborhoods also complained. Tyus warned Jones risks being a one-term mayor if the trash issues aren鈥檛 addressed.