Department of Sanitation leadership told the council that proposed reductions in the departmentoperating and personnel budgets would force eliminations or severe scaling back of curbside recycling, weekly drop-off events, supplemental interstate sweeping and enhanced services in the French Quarter (Area 5).

The department said staffing vacancies — four equipment-operator openings and four laborer positions among other gaps — constrain field operations and that overtime included in the proposed 2026 operating budget is likely insufficient for Mardi Gras and other high-demand events. “Mardi Gras 2026 overtime funding is underfunded by $274,000,” the department told the council, and the total overtime allocation leaves no room for other unplanned overtime needs.

On collection frequency, Department of Sanitation staff and council members debated once-a-week trash pickup versus twice-a-week service. Department staff said the city permanently moved to once-a-week collection under contracts awarded in 2022–24, and that the bids for twice-a-week service came in substantially higher. The department also said the new contracts included technology such as GPS and on-truck cameras that sharply reduced miscollection complaints; staff said missed-collection reports have decreased by roughly 80% since 2022. “When a contractor gets a missed collection complaint, they immediately go see, did the truck pass the house? … In 90 percent of those cases … the cart wasn't curbside when the truck passed, or they actually did collect it,” a department presenter said.

Sanitation staff also urged the council to pursue partnerships and sponsorships for events such as recycling drop-offs and suggested restarting Job1 programs that provide grant-funded labor and sometimes lead to permanent hires; the department said it had hired 51 employees through that program over eight years. Officials urged better public education about containment (bagging putrid waste, placing carts at the curb close to pickup day) to reduce odors and pests associated with longer collection intervals.

Public commenters and council members pressed for recycling expansion, composting and glass-recycling options; staff said they would work with ORS and community groups on pilots and outreach, but cautioned that the citycould not expand some services without additional operating funds.