Who will be picking up trash in downtown New Orleans come Thursday morning?
According to IV Waste owner Sidney Torres, his company will continue to pick up trash in the French Quarter alongside Henry Consulting. However, Henry Consulting owner Troy Henry says once his contract takes effect at midnight, IV Waste's services will not longer be needed or wanted by city government.
"IV Waste, at midnight tonight, will still be providing the same level of services that we have been providing since the start of the contract in December," Torres told WWL's Dave Cohen on Wednesday.
"Sidney Torres understands that his contract is nothing more than a backup contract," Henry said to Cohen in response. "This is just another stunt by him to continue to try and get sympathy for his popularity contest that he's been running."
Henry says Torres and IV Waste will not be authorized to collect trash in the French Quarter after the clock strikes midnight Thursday morning. Henry disputes claims that he's charging the city more for fewer services, saying that the contract he has is the same as the one IV Waste won last December.
"Tonight, we will begin performing on the long-term contract because the value is the same," Henry said. "So we don't have to go and play the kabuki dance game of now switching from one set of options to another. We've begun investing in the assets. We've begun doing all of the things that it takes to perform on the long-term seven-year contract."
Torres insisted that his crews will continue working in the Vieux Carré, adding that they will provide more detailed service than what Henry Consulting subcontractors will.
"It's very clear that our services are a lot more than what the services are that Henry's providing at $221,000 less a month that IV Waste is charging," Torres said.
Henry claimed that Torres's claim, as well as other statements he's made about Henry Consulting and their trash tussle, are nothing more than bull.
"They've been sending out so much misinformation," Henry said, adding that the misinformation he speaks of includes claims that he lacks the equipment and staff to adequately provide the sanitation needs of downtown New Orleans. "We're overstaffed, quite frankly. We expect there to be some fall off or what have you. We don't need any of his workers."
Henry says he has more than just Mayor Cantrell on his side. He says the rule of law also backs him and his contract.
"No court in the state of Louisiana thus far has deemed our contract as invalid, so we have a valid contract with the city of New Orleans," Henry said. "We will meet all of the obligations of our contract, and in that contract, it also includes the lemony scent that (Torres has) made into this mystery or mystique. It's a requirement. It's not some gratis service that's being provided. It's a requirement in the contract, of course."
The Louisiana Supreme Court could issue an injunction before midnight tonight preventing Henry's emergency contract from taking effect. Torres is banking on the state courts to agree with a brief filed by Attorney General Liz Murrell that claims Cantrell's emergency contract with Henry is illegal.
"The attorney general basically said in her amicus brief addressing the financial consequences of circumventing Louisiana procurement law, as the mayor's proposed contract with Henry Consulting exceeds the existing IV Waste contract by $2.1 million, an unnecessary burden on the taxpayers arising from unauthorized and improper use of emergency powers," Torres said.
