Morgan City mayor wants to hire company to pick up all resident's trash

By ZACHARY FITZGERALD
zfitzgerald@daily-review.com
Morgan City’s residential garbage collection may soon be privatized if the City Council authorizes a contract Tuesday.
The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the City Court Building.
Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi will bring a proposal before the City Council Tuesday to authorize a private garbage collection contract as he says the city’s garbage trucks continue to frequently break down, causing garbage to not get picked up on time.
City Attorney Paul Landry is working to draft a six-month contract with Progressive Waste Solutions to present to the council, Grizzaffi said. If the contract receives council approval Tuesday, Progressive Waste Solutions could have “four brand new” garbage trucks in Morgan City by July 6 and be ready to pick up garbage by July 13, the mayor said.
At the Jan. 27 council meeting, Grizzaffi proposed the city join St. Mary Parish government to get a private garbage collection contract beginning in October. In 2013, the city purchased three refurbished side-loading garbage trucks, two 2004 models and one 2013 model. The city also kept one of the side-loading trucks it already had as a backup.
As of January, Grizzaffi said the 2013 garbage truck is the only truck that is functioning properly, and the other three trucks were “limping.”
City officials are still looking at the possibility of going in with parish government after the six-month contract expires, but the city doesn’t have enough reliable garbage trucks for it to be able to stick with city-run collection any longer, Grizzaffi said.
“Under the emergency flag, I made a deal with Progressive to come temporarily handle us until we can get to that contract, which might be four to six months,” Grizzaffi said.
If the City Council approves using Progressive’s garbage pickup for six months, the company has agreed to keep providing service while the city transitions to whichever company is the low bidder for the parish contract, the mayor said.
Progressive already collects garbage in the unincorporated areas of the parish, but multiple companies, including Progressive, will bid for the new contract which may also include Morgan City and Baldwin, Grizzaffi said.
Grizzaffi assured city customers that they won’t see any change in their garbage pickup bill during the temporary contract, he said.
“The only thing they’ll notice different is their garbage will get picked up on time, every time,” Grizzaffi said.
Progressive’s contract proposal would be effective from July 13 through Dec. 31. Progressive would provide twice-weekly, automated garbage pickup, according to the proposal.
Grizzaffi said the city’s rate of $18.20 per month charged to residential customers would remain the same with Progressive.
In July 2013, the council approved raising residential garbage pickup from $12 to $18 per month and keeping residential garbage pickup city-run. At that time, Grizzaffi had voiced his desire for the city to sign a garbage collection contract with a private company.
Other items on Tuesday’s City Council agenda include a resolution to ensure that no person, business or other entity receives duplicate assistance for federal disaster recovery funds, first readings to amend the city’s garbage pickup and collection ordinance concerning the city’s solid waste definitions, discarded items and curbside pickup.
The council will also recognize Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church for its 125th anniversary, read a proclamation for the 80th anniversary of the Social Security Act and hear from Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival Executive Director Darby Isham.