|
For Immediate Release
April 18, 2025
|
New Orleans City Councilmembers Contend that Henry Consulting LLC Does Not Have a Valid Sanitation Contract
(NEW ORLEANS, LA) -
New Orleans City Councilmembers respond to erroneous claims made by Henry Consulting and the Cantrell Administration that the former will assume the French Quarter sanitation contract.
Pursuant to City Code Section 70-10, approval of contracts valued over $1M requires a signature by the City Council President. Henry Consulting has challenged this law in court, and the trial judge has ordered the Council to approve and sign the contract.
However, the Council has appealed the decision through a "suspensive appeal," which temporarily halts the legal effect of the court’s order during the appeal process. As a result, the judgment requiring the Council to approve Mr. Henry’s contract is on hold while the appeal is pending. In the meantime, City Code Section 70-10 — including the requirement for Council approval — remains in force. Without that approval, no contract exists.
“I have spoken to residents, business owners, employees, and visitors of the French Quarter, and they all agree that this is the cleanest they have seen the French Quarter in a long time,” said District C Councilmember Freddie King. “I believe that changing sanitation providers now would be a mistake.”
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts,” said Council President JP Morrell. “Until a final judgment is reached, the existing law requiring Council approval in contracts is still in place. Mr. Henry knows full well that his contract is not valid, which is why he returned to the Council on March 11th to again seek its approval. It is unacceptable that he and the Mayor are actively trying to gaslight the public into believing otherwise. Even worse, they are threatening to cut off trash collection in the French Quarter on August 1st without a lawfully executed contract, effectively holding residents and business owners hostage. This is not just misleading; it's an irresponsible abuse of power.The Council is awaiting the Fourth Circuit’s decision on whether to take up the appeal, with the possibility of further review by the Supreme Court. Trying to override the legal process to hand Mr. Henry a win he has not legally secured is both inappropriate and alarming.”
Council President Morrell concludes, “It is certainly a choice to cut off trash pickup to the 4th Circuit and Supreme Court, which are located in the Quarter, to extort a favorable judgment before August 1st.”
On April 16, 2024, the Cantrell Administration announced that the current French Quarter sanitation contract with IV Waste will be terminated and that Henry Consulting, LLC would assume the contract starting August 1st. However, that is not the case.
View the City Council’s motion for a suspensive appeal here.
View Judge Irons’ order granting the suspensive appeal here.
###
Contact:
Monet Brignac
Councilmember Jean-Paul Morrell
504.975.2897
monet.brignac-sullivan@nola.gov
 New Orleans City Council
The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of the New Orleans city government. The Council considers and enacts all local laws that govern the City of New Orleans. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City, as recommended by the mayor, and continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The City Council is also the regulatory body for public utilities. It also reviews and has the final say on many land use and zoning matters, as well as considers major economic development projects for the City. As a Board of Review for Orleans Parish, the Council examines appeals of property tax assessments for real estate taxes and certifies tax rolls to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Other responsibilities of the Council include overseeing the operation of the public access television in Orleans Parish. Streaming video and video archives of the City Council's Regular and Committee meetings can be found on the City Council website.
The City Council is comprised of five districts and Councilmembers-at-large: Council President and Councilmember-at-Large JP Morrell; Council Vice President and Councilmember-At-Large Helena Moreno; District "A" Councilmember Joseph I. Giarrusso, III; District "B" Councilmember Lesli D. Harris; District "C" Councilmember Freddie King III; District "D" Councilmember Eugene J. Green, Jr.; and District "E" Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas, Jr.
|
