County residents will have to endure possible garbage pick-updelays a little while longer, an official said Monday.

Butch Lambert, the county solid waste consultant, said problemsthat developed two weeks ago with county garbage pick-up are theresult of several mechanical failures with BFI’s equipment. Thebreakdowns have prevented the company from finishing some routes,and it was behind on pick-ups for a few days.

“They’re back on schedule now and will complete their contract,”he said.

The county is operating on a month-to-month contract with BFIWaste Services in an agreement made in June. The agreement was madeafter the county discovered its permanent contract with the companywas to lapse in July.

BFI agreed to the temporary service while supervisors pursuedlegal channels necessary to rebid the contract.

BFI, however, lost the contract in the bidding process tocompetitor Waste Management of Mississippi, which also servesBrookhaven and several other municipalities and counties in thearea.

“We ask citizens to just bear with us, and things will be takenof in due course,” Lambert said.

District Four Supervisor Doug Moak agreed, adding that thesituation has been improving daily.

“The good news is that last week went better than previousweeks,” he said.

Waste Management will take over county operations Oct. 4,Lambert said but is unable to begin early because it still needstime to train sanitation crews, teach them the routes and providethe necessary equipment.