PLANTATION, Fla. – Pembroke Pines resident Joel Mintzer is fed up with the mess Hurricane Irma has left behind.
Driving around Broward County, you cannot help but notice the tree debris lying on the side of the roads.
"I said look, it'd be worth it charging $25 or $50 extra just to get rid of this stuff, because it's going to bring a lot of rodents, a lot of animals, and it's not worth it," Mintzer said.
Several HOAs in Broward County want all of this debris removed and have the option of using the city but cannot wait two or three months, so they've opted to bring in private companies to remove the debris.
Plantation resident Howard Talenfeld worries about the health hazard this could cause if something isn't done soon.
"While the rats multiply and we have hazards, public health hazards, we don't know how long," Talenfeld said.
Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief said even if the city does pick up the debris, there's another major roadblock.
"What we're experiencing right now is price-gouging and competition," she said. "Miami-Dade County is now paying more than the Broward contracts have paid."
Sharief said these are contractors that have existing contracts with these cities.
"That's one of the things that we are saying it's really disheartening that at a time that they need it they know that the contracts are there for emergency purposes and they are saying 'OK, I want more money and that's it.'"