Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. hosted an open question-and-answer session to discuss the city’s new contract with Waste Management on Monday evening at the Ardis T. Williams Sr. Auditorium.

Topics discussed included changes to service when the new five-year contract takes effect on Oct. 1 of this year.

New garbage cans will be used as part of the new contract. Residential buildings will be given one can for free and can purchase an additional can if desired.

Commercial buildings in the downtown area of Vicksburg will be allowed up to four cans. Each can will need to be purchased by the businesses.

Several residents at the meeting mentioned that they currently have two trash cans.

“One of them is illegal. You can have one garbage can per residence,” Flaggs said. “Don’t know how you got it, but it’s illegal.”

Bulkier items like televisions and construction materials will not be picked up by Waste Management. However, the City’s action line is available to have those items removed by the city.

“If Waste Management does not pick it up: if you call 601-636-3411 and place a work order on it, they will pick it up within seven days,” Flaggs said.

That action line can also be called to schedule a pickup of extra or illegal trash cans as well.

Based on the prior contract, the city was charged $10.85 per month per residential can. Initially, the new price was estimated at $15.42 per month. However, Flaggs said, that price may go up or down depending on the number of cans that are assigned to businesses and homeowners.

“It’s going to take time for us to adapt to these changes,” Flaggs said. “But I’m telling you this city will work with you.”