Some Say Trash Pickup Latest Problem For Wake County Town

Residents want to know what is going on; the mayor insists there is no crisis.

Employees have been working overtime, trying to do the work usually accomplished with three garbage trucks with just one.

This week, two trucks were out of service.

"One was a computer problem, one other was the transmission" Mayor John Byrne said.

By Friday, two of the three trucks were up and running, but trash and the workload piled up. Trash crews were expected to work until sundown Friday in order to catch up.

One truck is a 2000 model, the other trucks are about 8 years old. The mayor says what happened this week was just bad luck.

Job vacancies have also been piling up in the town.

Last year, two police officers apparently lost their jobs after being accused of ransacking a suspect's car. The police chief later retired, and in June, town manager John Ellis resigned with no public explanation.

Some residents say the town needs stability.

"It really makes you wonder what is going on behind the scenes with the whole town and how they are managing it," resident Jenny Stanley said.

The mayor says the town is taking its time to fill position to ensure an perfect fit.

"I don't think Fuquay's falling apart," Byrne said. "I think Fuquay's a very good community. We do have some issues and we'll deal with those one at a time and we'll accomplish our goals."