Council authorizes amendment to River Birch landfill disposal agreement; members question pricing and CPI adjustment

The Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government authorized the parish president or his designee to execute Amendment No. 7 to the disposal agreement with River Birch LLC, covering landfill services previously contracted by the parish.

Council members raised questions about cost increases and pricing structure during discussion. A staff member explained that the agreement includes a consumer price index adjustment available once per year if warranted; there was no increase from the immediately prior three‑year contract to this amendment. Council members also contrasted current per‑ton charges with recent changes for outside haulers. The contract amount referenced in meeting discussion was $5,000,000 and the item passed on a unanimous recorded vote.

Why this matters: the landfill agreement affects disposal costs for parish operations and residents who use parish facilities, and unit pricing and annual CPI adjustments will influence future operating expenses.

Councilmember questions and staff responses centered on transparency of pricing and comparative charges for parish users and out‑of‑parish customers. One council member noted recent pricing adjustments (for example, a previously cited $42 per ton changed to $53 per ton for certain users) and asked whether the contract negotiation could produce rates that would benefit residents. Staff responded that River Birch remains the closest and therefore most cost‑effective disposal option for Terrebonne Parish, and that transportation distance would raise costs if the parish moved disposal elsewhere.

The motion was moved, seconded and adopted by recorded vote (9–0) to authorize the parish president to sign the amendment and continue with River Birch LLC as the landfill service provider.