Thursday was supposed to be garbage pickup day in Mount Vernon, but instead community members encountered piles of bags and cardboard boxes lining the streets – with no signs of garbage trucks.

Mayor Richard Thomas announced this week that 15 of the city’s 17 DPW trucks were out of commission due to missing parts and long overdue bills. He held a news conference at the DPW yard blaming the city’s comptroller.

"I fully expect the comptroller to process these payments, and if she doesn't, I'm going to find another way to make sure that bill gets paid,” said Thomas.

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His DPW commissioner said the city was supposed to have four trucks up and running Thursday morning, but only wound up being able to use one.

City officials say recycling will not be taking place this week, and residents should put any cardboard boxes or plastic bottles away until next week. They say that because most of their fleet is down that garbage collection will be slow going.