ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Less than a month after beginning waste services in St. Johns County, the company FCC Environmental Services could be terminated amid complaints from dozens of residents over service disruptions.
Commissioners voted last year to award a $28.2 million contract to FCC Environmental Services to take over trash pickup for the entire county, and it began servicing the county on Aug. 1.
Since then, the complaints have been rolling in as residents report trash left on the ground, incorrect pickups and cans left in the middle of streets.
Some have said they’ve gone weeks without their yard waste being removed, and others complained of the smell after their trash was left untouched for so long.
“We’ve already come out here multiple times to pick it all up. And we’re still dealing with it with all this,” Mara Hickox, resident of the Holly Forest neighborhood of Silverleaf, said.
Hickox and her husband Ryan said they found a few things that weren’t theirs in their yard, and that trash was supposed to be picked up last week but that did not happen until last Sunday.
Down the road from where they live is resident Sam Repalone.
“Even after the trash was picked up, the smell still lingered for days because, I mean, this is what we’re left with,” Repalone said.
Saturday marked the end of a week-long “cure period.” Under the county’s contract with FCC, the company was granted that time to fix issues with pickups. That time has passed and now the county will discuss the company’s future.
Sarah Arnold, chair of the St Johns County Board of County Commissioners, and FCC staff members had a discussion Monday to address the service issues.
In a video posted on YouTube Friday, Arnold said they anticipate bringing other solid waste collection companies to fill the service gaps.
“We are contractually obligated to allow FCC to fix the nonperformance, and on Monday, a serious discussion will be had with termination as a strong possibility,” Arnold said. “We have lost trust in FCC ability to provide accurate data and deliver services and good faith.”
Some people told News4JAX that have had enough and are calling on the county to listen to them and make a change.
County Commissioner Henry Dean said he understands residents’ concerns.
“It’s just a huge stumbling block that I’m sure they would have preferred not to have this difficulty to, but because really, it’s something that is a failure on their part that, I would suggest to you as one commissioner, that we should look at their contract and consider maybe an offset to pay the two carriers if they come on on an interim basis, that make up the difference,” Dean said.
Arnold also said that they will act quickly to select the company to help them and apologized for the inconvenience.
“Our staff is taking this seriously and is working tirelessly through the breach of reliable Solid Waste Services. We feel your frustration, and we know that you deserve better,” Arnold said.
FCC is also set to take over Clay County services on Oct. 1.
An FCC staff member addressed the Clay County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday and explained what happened in St. Johns County.
“Our technology failed, and why did it fail? We are researching that now,” Vice President of Business Development Charles Merkley said.
News4JAX reached out to Clay County commissioners Monday to find out if the St. Johns County situation could impact their contract with FCC.
They sent us the following statement:
The County working closely with FCC Environmental to ensure the transition to the new garbage and yard waste service is done to the level we all expect. We met with FCC Environmental staff this week and talked about how they’re handling several factors that are key to a smooth transition here in Clay County.
FCC Environmental staff also addressed the Board of County Commissioners at this Tuesday’s meeting. You can watch the meeting and their presentation on our website here https://clayfl.new.swagit.com/videos/312249 starting at the 52:57-minute mark. During the presentation, FCC staff spoke about the issues in St. Johns County, and addressed the steps they’re taking to create a successful transition here in Clay County.
As we go through the next several weeks, we will continue to work closely with FCC to make sure all of the steps are completed within the transition plan ahead of the October 1 start date. We’ll continue to keep our community updated as we move through this process. We also have a full list of frequently asked questions on our website and you can find that here https://www.claycountygov.com/community/garbage-and-recycling/new-garbage-services
Clay County Bord of County Commissioners
Meanwhile, in St. Johns County, people living in Holly Forest said they just want to see people picking up their trash, not scavengers.
“I just don’t think that they can handle it. They already showed us that they can’t handle it,” Hickox said.
The next St. Johns Board of County Commissioners meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Residents can report solid waste collection issues through the Recycle Coach app or submit a service request through the SJC Connect app.