Solid Waste committee approves consultant contracts as jurors debate landfill pricing and Live Oak contract

DeSoto Parish's Solid Waste committee on Feb. 13 approved two contracts designed to monitor and analyze landfill revenue and operations, and then held an extended debate about whether previous pricing decisions and the departure of Live Oak as the landfill sales representative diminished parish income.

The committee amended the 2025 solid waste budget to authorize $20,000 for contract compliance assistance services for a gas-to-energy project. Proponents said the firm will monitor methane production, verify royalty payments and inspect records; opponents asked why the parish needed to pay an outside company to read meters or review records the parish already had the right to inspect. Committee members later clarified that the contracted period runs roughly June through December and that the $20,000 is the cost for that span.

Separately, the committee approved an $18,900 contract for a cost-analysis consultant to evaluate landfill gate prices and serve as a new sales/marketing representative now that Live Oak will no longer do that role. Jurors asked whether pricing data already existed; staff said the consultant will document true costs, recommend pricing, and negotiate gate prices with prospective customers.

A long discussion followed about revenue history. One juror alleged Live Oak received kickbacks under previous terms and that their prior arrangement left the parish with less revenue; another juror and staff countered that prior gate prices were too low relative to competitors and that industry consolidation and ownership changes likely explain Live Oak's exit. Jurors pressed staff to provide figures showing past payments and revenue so the committee can assess the financial impact and implications for funding other projects.

The committee approved both budget amendments and directed staff to compile the historic revenue figures and contract details for the full jury or a subsequent meeting.