OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Waste Management has been playing catch up ever since a Tuesday morning storm knocked down literally tons of tree branches and debris across Omaha.
This caused yard waste to increase by 30 percent in the city.
"Some have said the drivers have never seen so much yard waste at the curb and so it's just really complicating things,” says Stothert.
So some folks that should have had trash picked up Thursday or Friday, just got it out of their way today. Recyclables won't be picked up until Thursday.
"We do not feel like this is acceptable service,” says Stothert. "We wanted a plan of action on how they're going to recover from these delayed pickups."
The plan from Waste Management includes bringing in drivers from other cities and hiring local temp workers to help out. All with the goal of being completely caught up by Saturday.
This neighborhood in southwest Omaha was due for a Monday pickup. That didn't happen but longtime resident Don Skadeland noticed a lot more trash on the curb during his daily walk.
"I don't ever remember it being exactly like this,” says Skadeland.
But he's not sweating the delays, saying Waste Management has been very punctual in the past.
"I don't think we have any valid reason for complaining at all, it's very understandable, very reasonable,” says Skadeland.
That being said this will cost Waste Management. They'll lose money from the city for the amount of complaints for residents as well as for missing pickups.
"We don't pay them for what they don't do. So they could basically be hit financially two different ways for the month of May and into June now,” says Stothert.
You can see the full press conference below:
