FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Fort Wayne City Councilman Russ Jehl continued his search for a solution to Red River Waste Solutions missing trash pickups in the city. His idea? Have the waste collection company pay people hired by the city $100 an hour to pick up the missed trash.

Jehl took to Facebook to state “Scentimental Trash Talk: The Red River contract provides a self-cure clause. This means that when Red River does not pick up the garbage, the City may pick it up and charge Red River $100 per hour. Red River has had eighteen months of spotty garbage pickups, and $100 per hour is a great rate for an employee to make at Red River’s expense. I have consistently urged the Mayor and Solid Waste to develop a crew so ratepayers who cannot get their garbage picked up by Red River do not languish. If the City self-cures, it is no longer helpless when Red River drops the ball.”

The City of Fort Wayne reported Red River missed 382 trash pickups and 252 recycling pickups during the week of June 10 to June 14. Those 634 misses are out of a total of 120,000 possible pickups. A city spokesperson said it was evidence that misses were on the decline.

Councilman Jehl said those numbers must improve.

“The contract states 500 misses per month,” said Jehl. “That’s not 500 misses per month, not even close, and so once again, the administration putting out these convenient numbers to try to convince you that poor service is ok is just beside myself.”

Jehl said the “Self-cure clause” in the city’s contract with Red River allows the city to hire a third-party contractor to pick up missed trash and charge Red River $100 an hour for those services.

Jehl said he has taken to Facebook daily to share ideas he says are in between “Doing nothing and canceling the contract.”

In a statement to WANE 15 News, a city spokesperson said “If there were to be any modifications or additions to the current collection protocols, it would be done in order to help customers and the public would be notified.” That statement went on to say the city will “likely have an update on garbage and recycling collection services in the City soon.”