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Monroe council rejects plan to award trash contract to Waste Connections after public opposition
Summary
A motion to accept Waste Connections' RFP for trash services failed Sept. 9 after public commenters warned privatization could raise fees and eliminate positions; council members said the city has not raised garbage fees in 21 years and will revisit options.
The Monroe City Council on Sept. 9 declined to adopt a resolution to accept a response to the city's trash and garbage RFP and to contract with Waste Connections of Louisiana, Inc.
The motion, made by Mr. Harvey and seconded by Mrs. Ezernack, failed after several councilmembers recorded opposition. Public commenters told the council they opposed privatization and worried it would increase costs and cost jobs. "Privatization would raise fees without public input and could leave 35 part-time workers unemployed," said resident Robert Johnson, who spoke during the public hearing.
Council debate centered on fiscal options and the operational state of the city's sanitation division. Councilmember Muhammad said the division lacks adequate resources and has been operating with about $1.2 million in costs for several years; he noted the city has not increased garbage fees in 21 years. Chairman McFarland said a fee increase may be premature until water and sewer issues are addressed. City Attorney Brandon Creekbaum explained that a $10'$15 per household fee increase could stabilize operations, a figure discussed informally during debate.
Why it matters: The decision preserves municipal control of trash collection for now and signals that council members want more public input and financial analysis before outsourcing a core public service. Several speakers tied the question to worker pay and service continuity.
Outcome: The motion to award a contract to Waste Connections failed on the floor; the council did not adopt the RFP award. The council indicated it will pursue other budget or operational options and that any rate increases or contracting proposals will return for further review.
Next steps: No contract was approved; council members discussed raising fees or increasing the Public Works budget to maintain city-run service and directed further study of costs and solutions.
