Companies compete for Morgan City trash contract

Two garbage pickup companies are vying for a long-term contract to collect Morgan City residents’ garbage. One of them already has a six-month contract with the city, and the other recently won the St. Mary Parish government contract.
Pelican Waste & Debris and Progressive Waste Solutions presented their plans to collect garbage in Morgan City at Tuesday’s city council meeting. Both companies have offices in Houma.
On July 13, Progressive began picking up the city’s garbage as part of a six-month, “emergency” contract because the city had been struggling to collect garbage effectively, Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said. The contract runs through Dec. 31.
City officials want to make the best long-term decision possible while considering price and service, Grizzaffi said.
So far, there have been few complaints about Progressive’s service in the first couple weeks, the mayor said.
Since Progressive began picking up Morgan City’s garbage about two weeks ago, of the 25,500 service attempts, company officials have had 14 confirmed issues, Progressive Operations Manager Jay Gunter said. However, company officials have worked to fix those issues, Gunter said.
“We’re going to take care of you. We’re going to service you. I’m going to make sure of it,” Gunter said.
On July 9, the Banner-Tribune reported that the St. Mary Parish Council accepted a five-year garbage collection contract with Pelican Waste & Debris after having previously used Progressive for garbage pickup. Pelican will take over collecting garbage in unincorporated areas of the parish on Nov. 1.
The company is owned by Corey Callais and Roddie Matherne, former operators of the defunct SweeDee garbage disposal company that provided service in St. Mary until the company was bought out by Progressive Waste Solution, the Banner-Tribune reported.
On July 14, the town of Berwick introduced an ordinance aimed at signing a three-year garbage collection contract with Pelican beginning Nov. 1. The proposed contract includes an option for a two-year renewal. The ordinance will go through a public hearing in August.
Matherne, CEO and general manager for Pelican Waste & Debris, said Tuesday that Pelican is a locally-based company and “will buy local,” Matherne said. “And you’ll see me a lot more often,” Matherne said.
Matherne formerly worked for Progressive Waste Solutions and came before the Morgan City Council two years ago representing Progressive when the city was considering a private garbage collection service.
Pelican’s proposed five-year contract includes options for extension up to five years. Pelican’s proposed rate per residential unit is $15.77 per month, Grizzaffi said.
Under Progressive’s proposed contract, the company would charge $15.50 per unit per month. The contract is based on collecting 5,100 units in the city, 4,808 residential units and 292 commercial units.
Both proposed contracts would offer residents a lower rate than the $18.20 monthly rate the city currently charges for garbage pickup, Grizzaffi said.
Robert McClellon, district manager for Progressive, said, referring to its previous contract with St. Mary Parish, the company let its fleet of garbage trucks get to “not where it should be,” which led to some issues with garbage collection.
City Councilman Barry Dufrene said Progressive does “have some history in St. Mary, and, unfortunately, it’s not the best.”
However, Progressive’s proposed contract with Morgan City will provide for new equipment at the start of the contract and after six years, which will make a big difference in the service Progressive can offer, McClellon said.
McClellon believes the size of the company is an asset, he said. Progressive will have enough existing staff to use in the event that some personnel leave, McClellon said.
The proposed contract will mirror Progressive’s previous St. Mary Parish contract with a five-year term, an initial extension of three years and a second extension of two years, McClellon said. Also included in the contract would be garbage cans, McClellon said. The contract includes an opportunity for recycling if the city chooses to do so, he said.
Councilman Louis Tamporello expressed concern over Pelican just getting into the residential garbage collection business though he understands the two owners have been in the garbage business for a while.
Former Morgan City garbage truck driver Keith Paul, who now works for Progressive picking up garbage in Morgan City, thanked city officials for introducing city drivers to Progressive.
“At first we were kind of skeptical about it, and now we’re very happy with them,” Paul said. “At the end of the day, we love the trucks.”
Driver Ernie Fabre, who also used to work for the city, said he shared the same feelings Paul expressed about Progressive.
Grizzaffi hopes city officials can a make a decision on a long-term garbage collection contract by the August council meeting, he said.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Gerald Thibodeaux of Kolder, Champagne, Slaven & Co. presented the city’s audit for the year ended Dec. 31, 2014.
City officials did a good job in 2014 of keeping expenses down despite a less than 1 percent increase in revenues, Thibodeaux said. Total city expenses decreased $533,000 in 2014 compared to 2013, he said.
The city’s spread between revenues and expenses has progressively gotten better since 2010 going from $777,000 to $2.4 million in 2014, Thibodeaux said.
In other business, the council:
—Approved St. Mary Outreach to use the Morgan City Petting Zoo from Oct. 19 to Oct. 24 for its annual pumpkin patch and Boo-to-Zoo activities.
—Approved Doric Lodge 205 in Morgan City to host a “National Night Out Against Crime” in Lawrence Park on Oct. 1 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
—Approved Brittany’s Project to host a Color Run Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. at Lake End Park.
—Approved the finance committee’s recommendations to allocate up to $69,000 from pollution abatement, $13,000 from the general fund balance to Lake End Parkway to replace a part on a John Deere tractor, $20,000 from the general fund to Lake End Park to rebuild a catch basin and $25,000 from the general fund to Lake End Park to purchase a new pump.
—Approved the American Legion Freedom Fest to be held Memorial Day weekend in 2016 at Lake End Park.
—Approved a liquor and beer permit for the neighborhood market Walmart to be located on La. 70.
—Went through a first reading of a solid waste ordinance.
—Approved the reappointment of Lonnie Gray to the civil service board.

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