Berwick may seek better deal for trash pick-up

BERWICK — Town of Berwick officials are looking to follow the St. Mary Parish Council’s lead and move to a new garbage collection company beginning Nov. 1, which town leaders say will save residents nearly $4 per month on their garbage pickup bill.
At Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, the Berwick Council introduced an ordinance to enter into a contract with Pelican Waste & Debris LLC of Houma to collect Berwick residents’ garbage.
The ordinance will go through a public hearing at the August Town Council meeting and then be available for adoption.
Progressive Waste Solutions currently picks up both the Town of Berwick’s garbage and the unincorporated areas of St. Mary Parish.
On July 9, the St. Mary Parish Council approved a contract with Pelican Waste & Debris to pick up residents’ garbage in the parish’s unincorporated areas, the Banner-Tribune reported.
Berwick Mayor Louis Ratcliff recommended that the Berwick Council “piggyback” off the Parish Council’s contract and sign a three-year deal with a two-year option for renewal.
Berwick’s proposed contract with Pelican Waste & Debris would be directly with the company and not through the parish, Ratcliff said.
Ratcliff hopes other communities in the parish will join Berwick and the unincorporated areas of the parish to use Pelican Waste & Debris for garbage pickup, he said.
The proposed contract between Berwick and Pelican Waste & Debris would lower garbage rates residents currently pay to the town for Progressive’s service from $19.50 per month to $15.77 per month.
Roddie Matherne, Pelican Waste & Debris CEO and general manager, worked for Progressive for three years and helped start Pelican Waste & Debris in September 2013. The Banner-Tribune reported that Pelican Waste & Debris is owned by Corey Callais and Matherne, who are the former operators of the defunct SweeDee garbage disposal company that provided service in St. Mary Parish until the company was bought out by Progressive Waste Solutions.
The Town of Berwick will be able to deal directly with Matherne for any questions or concerns about garbage collection, Matherne said.
Pelican Waste & Debris is “ready to get to work” and provide the good service that residents pay for, Matherne said.
“We had a good working relationship with you over at SweeDee, and I think that’s what the parish determined, too,” Ratcliff said.
State Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin, also spoke during Tuesday’s meeting about the BP settlement relating to the 2010 oil spill.
From the BP settlement, Jones believes the parish will receive $80 million for the Bayou Chene Flood Control and Diversion Project and $20 million for additional levee repairs in the parish, which includes levees in Berwick, he said. Jones and state Sen. Bret Allain, R-Franklin, are working with the Governor’s Office to make sure settlement money is allocated to those projects, Jones said.
The Berwick Council went into executive session Tuesday to discuss litigation regarding the Town of Berwick’s settlement for claims from to the 2010 BP oil spill. After the session, the council approved a resolution to accept the settlement. Town Attorney Allen McElroy said town officials are under court order not to publicly discuss the settlement yet.
In other business, the council
—Approved Chez Hope Family Violence Crisis Center to hold an East St. Mary Parish Domestic Violence Candle Light Vigil and Awareness Event at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Lighthouse Park in Berwick.
—Approved a payment in the amount of $42,738.75 to get the design of the town’s Sewerage Collection System project to the final stages.
—Approved a resolution of respect for Irene Templet Fromenthal.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.