Infrastructure Weak

[Batman]

Remember the Great Jackson Water Crisis of 2022? We have the sequel!
It's the Great Jackson Garbage Crisis.
I'll try to provide the tl;dr summary of this ridiculous situation. About two years ago, Jackson's mayor thought the city was paying too much for garbage collection to the clockwork-reliable Waste Management (or perhaps saw the opportunity for a bit of graft), so he ended their contract and went around the city council's back to sign another one with a New Orleans company. It's been a point of contention ever since, with some lawsuits trying to settle the political pissing match between the mayor and council over who had the authority to negotiate and sign the contract.
It was even more contentious for the garbage company, which claims it hasn't been paid in several months. The contract ended on April 1, and they left town until a new contract is signed.

https://www.wlbt.com/2023/04/05/jackson-trash-crisis-stinky-situation-600-days-making/

Now, the city that had no water for a week last summer is going on a week without getting its garbage picked up and there isn't a solution in sight. Well, there is one the city is suggesting — do it yourself.
From the city's Facebook page. Who is going to haul the trash away from the mall, which is already a bit of an eyesore and symbol of faded civic glory, isn't known:

 

[User 149557]

I love that every place has its “the old _____” sites. No matter what ends up going there, it will always be the site of the “old _______” for 20 years.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Many Massachusetts towns, including my home town on the Cape and some of the most affluent Boston suburbs, have no public garbage pickup. You haul your own trash to the dump, pardon me, transfer station or hire a private carting company.

 

[User 149557]

[All of America expectantly looking at Massachusetts like it is a performing monkey]

“Say ‘carting company’ in that accent! Say it!”

 

[The Big Ragu]

[All of America expectantly looking at Massachusetts like it is a performing monkey]

“Say ‘carting company’ in that accent! Say it!”

How about I give ya a slap instead?

 

[micropolitan guy]

Waste Management handles the garbage, recycling, yard waste, glass pickup, etc., in Microville. I must say they do an outstanding job. On time, clean, they hold 3-4 hazardous waste dump days every year and the recycling center for dropoff is open every day. All for what I consider an affordable price.

 

[ChrisLong]

WM is going to be implementing some new composting rules. I haven't read the whole mailing yet, but it is something my city government voted to do. Seems like when you trim the fat off your steak or don't want to eat the chicken skin or you didn't finish your vegetables, you dump it into the green can with the yard waste. It might even included used paper plates and napkins.
A couple of years ago, at the height of our drought, they wanted us to wash our recycle items. Great, there's a water shortage and now we gotta wash our trash.
Our rate is up to $53 for 3 months. It was around $36/3 for years and has made this jump rapidly over the past year.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

How about I give ya a slap instead?

There’s a scene in The Departed where Matt Damon finds two dead guys in the park and inside of their suit jacket say’s Providence Men’s Shop. And he goes, my power of persuasion tell me these gentlemen are from Providence. I always thought that was funny as hell.

 

[Batman]

Jackson's mayor: “I can’t create a garbage company. I can’t create the capacity for the city to pick up trash. I don’t have another garbage company waiting in the wings.”
I'm not sure if it's literally in a mayor's job description to create the capacity for a city to pick up trash, or have a list of potential contractors if one craps out for whatever reason, but it's at least implied, right?

 

[Batman]

Twelve days in, and still no garbage pick-up. How long does it take for bubonic plague to become a thing?

Jackson residents have gone without trash collection for two weeks

 

[dixiehack]

I went to bat for the guy on the water thing, but this is beyond the pale. If the city council has any way to cut him out of the picture they need to get to it.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

Twelve days in, and still no garbage pick-up. How long does it take for bubonic plague to become a thing?

Jackson residents have gone without trash collection for two weeks

Ask the French.

Heaps of garbage in Paris streets become protest symbol

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Ask the French.

Heaps of garbage in Paris streets become protest symbol

In Paris now. Garbage all gone and has been for a couple of weeks, according to the residents.

 

[The Big Ragu]

In Paris now. Garbage all gone and has been for a couple of weeks, according to the residents.

My understanding was that they picked up the garbage, got things cleaned up for Easter. ... and started the strike all over again yesterday (before the court ruling), and this time it is for an undetermined amount of time. They are vowing to "turn the streets into a public dump" until the pension reform is withdrawn.

 

[Batman]

I went to bat for the guy on the water thing, but this is beyond the pale. If the city council has any way to cut him out of the picture they need to get to it.

Every city has its problems, but a lot can be forgiven (think Chicago and its political machine) if its government handles a few core infrastructure functions well — utilities, traffic/potholes, public safety and sanitation.
Jackson let its water system reach the brink of failure.
Jackson has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the country.
Jackson has allowed its garbage collection system to become non-existent over a political pissing match.
And its streets are filled with potholes like this.
It's not a struggling city, it's a failed city. And its mayor got 69 percent of the vote in the last election.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

My understanding was that they picked up the garbage, got things cleaned up for Easter. ... and started the strike all over again yesterday (before the court ruling), and this time it is for an undetermined amount of time. They are vowing to "turn the streets into a public dump" until the pension reform is withdrawn.

Trash being picked up in Montmartre this afternoon as Alice and I had a beer after a walking tour. Strike could certainly happen, but it hasn't yet.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Trash being picked up in Montmartre this afternoon as Alice and I had a beer after a walking tour. Strike could certainly happen, but it hasn't yet.

Hope you are having a good time. Great neighborhood. Stay away from the three-card monte games. They don't have the scruples of the con artists in New York.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Hope you are having a good time. Great neighborhood. Stay away from the three-card monte games. They don't have the scruples of the con artists in New York.

I walked by one. Hadn't seen one in years. I mean, really, do they fleece enough boobs to make a living or are they set decoration paid for by the neighborhood tourism promotion board?

 

[The Big Ragu]

I walked by one. Hadn't seen one in years. I mean, really, do they fleece enough boobs to make a living or are they set decoration paid for by the neighborhood tourism promotion board?

It's hysterical, because they are so transparent. You can pick out the shill within a second and a half of walking up on the game. I assume they make decent money, because the police seemed to be in on it, which would be an expense.

You used to be able to find three-card monte games in NYC around Union Square, but I am talking like in the 1990s. I hadn't seen one in years either. We haven't gone near Montmartre in a while, but each time I am around there I have been absolutely delighted by the short cons I saw. The area is alive.

 

[Batman]

The crisis is over!
At least for about 11 months, when nobody comes up with a real solution and this song and dance starts all over again.