Largo city leaders cleaned up the mess left by sub-contractors scattered throughout neighborhood streets.
Neighbors tell ABC Action News sub-contractors came through their neighborhoods, picked up their branches and limbs, but left a bigger mess.
Kathy Rotramel was thrilled when she saw debris trucks pull into her Largo neighborhood.
“They’re going to clean it up- finally!" she exclaimed.
Things didn't go as planned. “This was a real joke here," her neighbor Thomas Neville added.
The big piles were picked up, but the branches and leaves were scattered everywhere. “Whatever fell out they just left on the ground," Rotramel said.
The subcontractors were using bobcats, which neighbors claim gouged their yards. Thomas Neville's tree made it through Irma, but the branches cracked and toppled when he says debris pickup crews smashed into it.
The city of Largo says they've received dozens of complaints of people complaining.
“It looked better before they picked it up.”
Largo is one of many cities that lost debris contractors who fled South to make more money. In a dash, the city says the contractor hired new subcontractors to do the work even though they had different equipment.
Rotramel and Neville hope the next storm doesn't leave their neighborhood looking like such a disaster zone. “It was really frustrating," Neville said.
If you have scattered debris that wasn't picked up, several cities in our area suggest raking it, bagging it up and placing it in your regular trash can.
Largo has already picked up more than 12 million pounds, or 50,000 cubic yards of debris. If your house was missed, or for any other issues, you can call Largo leaders at (727) 587-6760. You can also visit Largo.com/Irma for information on the cleanup schedule.
Editor’s Note: EHaras Services, a Kansas City company whose trucks were visible in the original story, was not the source of the poor clean up cited by the Largo residents.
