ST. LOUIS — St. Louis City residents have complained about trash piling up in their neighborhoods and now the city’s refuse commissioner has been placed on leave.
Dumpsters in alleyways overflowed with garbage in neighborhoods across the city, including the Central West End on Friday.
Residents told 5 On Your Side they had been that way for weeks.
"It’s not even an eyesore now. It's causing rodents and bugs. It's frustrating, to say the least especially when you're in a neighborhood that's nice, you know," said Maren Snell, a resident.
Snell and her neighbors told 5 On Your Side the conditions of the recycling bins had become so bad they flipped one on its side.
"We've got dumpsters that have been out of operation for six months before and they just put up a cone behind it," Snell added.
The sights and smells from garbage piles have also lingered in Dogtown.
Karla Fahland finally had a clear path in her alleyway which splits her home and rental property after numerous calls to the city and outrage on social media.
"About three weeks ago, it was so bad I couldn't even back my car out of my garage," she said.
The property owner mentioned she has seen homeless sleeping on mattresses, and animals digging in the cushions of the seats and spreading the leftover trash.
A day ago, the city's Refuse Commissioner Todd Waelterman who's responsible for trash collection was placed on leave during a pending "personnel investigation."
“I don't think that's the problem. I think it goes way above that. I think somebody needs to get a handle on the city and clean it up," Fahland said.
"We want the city to be attractive. I'm a big fan and I want people to be proud," added Chris Peterson, another resident.
Most of the residents pay a trash fee every month whether that be to their landlord or to the city themselves.
5 On Your Side got a response from the Streets, Traffic, & Refuse Director Betherny Williams to see how they might combat the looming issues:
“The Refuse Division works hard to honor its commitment of picking up alleyway trash at least once per week, using data to guide pickup strategies. The City has added a second shift of mechanics to improve truck reliability, and the Division is deploying crews Saturdays and Sundays to supplement collection work.
The City is also investing in our workforce to be more competitive in hiring for positions like refuse drivers, instituting a raise and $2,000 retention bonus for current employees. The $3,000 hiring incentive for new drivers also remains in effect.
We will continue to provide weekly updates on issues as they arise. The City encourages residents to report damaged dumpsters, missing hooks, or other trash issues to the Citizens Service Bureau at 314-622-4800.”