NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans is one step closer to getting new trash collection over a large swath of the city.
But a lot still needs to happen before the new waste contractors can hit the streets on November 7, as planned.
Thursday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and officials from IV Waste and Waste Pro gathered on the lakefront to sign and execute the contracts.
IV Waste is expected begin picking up in the lake communities, Gentilly, all the way to the Industrial Canal.
The city rebid the contract now held by Metro Service Group because of inconsistent and unreliable garbage collection.
The new trash haulers made some big promises.
“Your trash will be picked up,” IV Waste owner Sidney Torres said. “You’re recycling will be picked up and it will be picked up on time with nothing left behind and your can put back on the curb. I can promise you that.”
“We will have 18 pieces of equipment in the streets, every day, Monday through Friday, Waste Pro VP Jesse Murphy said.
Metro filed for bankruptcy which automatically forbids the city from terminating the company's contract.
Wednesday, the city filed court documents asking the bankruptcy judge to lift the stay. A hearing on the matter is expected next week.
Mayor Cantrell sounded confident the judge will let the new haulers start on time.
“We’re just looking forward to being able to provide the residents with what we know they deserve, quality collections, being efficient, something that they can depend on,” Cantrell said
The contracts also have to be funded by the city council.
Council VP J.P. Morrell said if the new haulers come on board before the judge lift’s the stay, the city would be obligated to continue paying Metro along with IV Waste and Waste Pro.
“To have people foot the bill because the city wants to rush out a contract for one day a week trash pickup, that unconscionable with inflation and what people are facing in the city of New Orleans,” Morrell said.
The mayor talked about the possibility of a sanitation fee increase down the road.
“We will revisit in terms of the fees associated with it after we have demonstrated to the public that the services they will receive are not only quality, but again better than we’ve ever witnessed in the city of New Orleans,” Cantrell said.
The new contracts call for once a week trash pickup with recycling on the same day.
Families can now request a second trash can by calling 3-1-1.
Pick up will be Monday through Friday. The new contractors will no longer collect garbage on Saturday.
Flyers should arrive in the mail next week, confirming when trash will be picked up in specific neighborhoods.