The pile near Live Oak and Prairie included mismatched boots, fake board game money, family pictures and something very pungent.

Sanitation Services collected more than 31,000 tons of brush and bulk trash in April, but high set-out volumes have crews running behind. A return to the regular collection schedule isn’t expected until early June.

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High set-out volumes are likely due to the February freeze, which led to increased set out of dead vegetation, according to Sanitation Services. Crews collected 31,269 tons of trash in April 2020, which surpassed the volume in April 2020 when we had plenty of time to clean out our closets during stay-at-home orders.

The collection average was 16,570 tons in April 2018 and 2019.

Sanitation Services hired 10 contract vendors in March to help city crews with increased set-out volumes. The department added 20 more in early April and now operates with 41 contract crews up to seven days a week. However, a shortage of contract laborers who ride on the back of trucks and collect garbage and recycling may cause route delays. The daily shortage varies from 20 to 40 vacancies.

Crews are collecting Week 2 areas with an anticipated completion date of May 25. Week 3 areas are expected to be complete by June 1, and Week 4 areas are scheduled to be complete by June 6. A return to the regular collection schedule is scheduled to start June 7.