A messy debate recently emerged in Donaldsonville, as residents and officials accused their trash hauler of bad service after a recent change to its fleet and possibly operating in violation of its contract with the city.

In early November, Republic Services, the nation's second-largest waste disposal firm, announced that trash collection would transition to an automated side-load truck equipped with a mechanical arm, effective immediately.

In the letter, the company stated that the new system "is highly regarded as the optimal approach for collecting residential waste."

In the past, employees would travel alongside the truck, tossing residents' garbage bags into it. Now, the operation has shifted to a model where the vehicle is manned solely by a driver and equipped with a mechanical arm for collecting waste.

However, concerns regarding that transition were raised during Tuesday's city council meeting, where Mayor Leroy Sullivan stated that the company is contractually required to address any spills it creates or remove deceased animals from the roadway.

Resident Tramayne Lightfoot expressed that she had witnessed the garbage truck break down multiple times and voiced her concerns regarding the service quality.

“If you have two trash bins outside, you’re done for. They’ll take one and leave the other behind,” she remarked. “It’s absurd. It’s an eyesore.”

Melissa Quillard, a spokesperson for Republic Services, mentioned in an email that there were some delays in pickups due to the holiday season.

“Quillard stated, ‘We appreciate our collaboration with the City of Donaldsonville and are dedicated to delivering top-notch service to all residents throughout the city. Our team is putting in considerable effort to address the backlog in bulk trash collection caused by the holiday, as well as to enhance our litter cleanup procedures.’”

However, she refuted any claims regarding mechanical problems with the company's vehicles.

"We are currently not facing any mechanical problems with our fleet, and we have no knowledge of any remarks concerning deceased animals, as our team is neither trained nor equipped, nor are they contractually required to handle such situations," she stated.

The mayor has reported various issues.

In the letter released by the company in November regarding the transition to automated side-load trucks, which was shared by the city on Facebook, it was stated that these trucks offer a more effective and safer method for trash collection.

"The company stated, 'We provide the industry's most effective, secure, and eco-friendly curbside service.' They added, 'Our process is swift and streamlined, taking about 10 seconds to finish the entire cycle of collecting the cart, emptying its contents, and placing it back at the curb before proceeding to the next location.'"

During the inaugural city council meeting attended by three newly elected officials, Sullivan reported that he had witnessed the truck malfunction.

"I trailed the truck one day, and it stalled three times," he remarked. "That happened on the Saturday following Christmas."

Following the meeting, she mentioned that the purported mechanical issues triggered a series of complications.

"It malfunctions, and then it's like, when that occurs, your trash might not be collected for possibly a week," she explained.

Reported breaches of contract

Although the council refrained from making any formal decisions during the meeting, Sullivan urged them to examine the city's waste collection agreement. He highlighted certain sections that he believed the company may have breached.

He stated, "The contract specifies that 'the contractor is responsible for removing any deceased animals from public roads or rights-of-way when found or upon the city's request.' However, they don't actually handle the removal of dead animals. That's our job; we take care of it and ensure proper disposal."

Charles Brown, the chair of the council, concurred with Sullivan and emphasized that the city must uphold the contract.

"They're not meeting the required standards. They're failing to fulfill their obligations," he remarked. "... No one is enforcing accountability."