Mayor Neeley dispatching City of Flint crews to pickup yard waste

*** Update: Work crews ran into some issues with pickups on Sunday and so they are continuing to pick up yard waste Monday and Tuesday, May 17-18, 2021.

FLINT, Michigan—Mayor Sheldon Neeley is dispatching work crews to pick up yard waste throughout the city for the next three days because the service provider has not been able to complete the job.

“We will not sit idly by while compost sits in our streets,” Mayor Sheldon Neeley said. “I am thankful to our workers who are willing to step up and take on overtime to provide this service to residents of the City of Flint.”

Republic Services will reimburse the City $32,000 for performing the work. 

Republic Services issued notices this week and two weeks prior saying that pickup of yard waste would be temporarily delayed in the City of Flint because of worker shortages and the high volume of yard waste. All residents have been instructed to leave their yard waste at the curb. 

“The nation is experiencing a shortage of truck drivers across the country and that has posed a staffing challenge,” said the statement released by Metrel Demps, Republic Services general manager. “We have and will continue bringing in additional resources to help us in the Flint area and we are continuing our efforts to hire drivers.”

The City of Flint plans to send four work crews out Friday, Saturday and Sunday to gather accumulated yard waste.

Republic Services has said that trash and recycling pickups have not been affected. All pickup issues should be reported to Republic Services at (888) 872-7455.

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