It looks like Brookhaven’s and Lincoln County’s garbage mess is going to get worse before it gets better.

Officials from both governments complained recently about Waste Pro’s performance since learning it would no longer have contracts in October.

Lincoln County Tax Collector Blake Pickering, whose office records missed pickups, said Waste Pro has missed around 700 pickups in the last 30 days.

“They’ve missed 50 streets,” Ward 6 Alderwoman Shelley Harrigill said. “For three days I’ve driven up and down the ward, and there’s nothing but trash. Every resident has a filled can in their driveway.”

Both governments have decided to pitch in to pick up the missed garbage, but it should not have come to that.

“We’ve got major issues on North Jackson, Red Oak, White Oak, Brignall area. Mostly on the north side of town,” Mayor Joe Cox said. “We’re going to take all steps necessary to remedy the situation on our part that we can until Waste Pro mobilizes with some more trucks and/or some more drivers.”

Hopefully, Waste Pro will find the necessary manpower to finish out its contract with Brookhaven and Lincoln County.

If not, the company may lose more than just payments from those two customers. It may take a hit to its reputation that will be hard to recover from.