June 27, 2025
The council has worked to strip Cantrell of her contracting power at the state level.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is facing litigation due to an ongoing trash dispute that’s stinking things up, WDSU reports.
Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar owner Daniel Conwill and resident Marina Costopoulos filed a civil suit against Cantrell, accusing the mayor of intentionally awarding a trash contract to Henry Consulting for the historic neighborhood. As a result, Conwill and Costopoulos feel the trash pickups will be worse.
Residents and business owners are currently with the services of IV Waste, which holds an emergency contract for trash services. Signs have been posted in support of the firm, saying the French Quarter appears cleaner than ever with their services. They even touched on loving the lemon-scented spray the firm uses that keeps the streets smelling fresh.
“Mr. Conwill and Felix’s are completely satisfied with the services that Felix’s currently receives from IV Waste,” attorney Leonard Levenson representing Conwill and Costopoulos wrote in the lawsuit, according to NOLA. “IV Waste’s services further help increase the number of Felix’s guests by making the area surrounding his restaurant more appealing.”
Conwill and Costopoulos argue that Cantrell’s $73 million deal with Henry Consulting is invalid since it hasn’t been approved or voted on by the city council. Members challenged the bid, citing a 2022 ordinance that permitted the council to have approval authority over some professional service contracts that have a value of over $1 million.
The council has worked to strip Cantrell of her contracting power at the state level. Sen. Jimmy Harris is seeking to let the 13-member French Quarter Management District board enter into emergency contracts in the French Quarter after Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill into law earlier this month.
The new lawsuit is one of two that the mayor and the city have been hit with in correlation to the trash controversy. The other involves IV Waste, Richards Disposal, and Henry Consulting. With Henry Consulting expected to take over the contract Aug. 1 in addition to Richards providing trash services, resentment from property owners has been brewing due to having an issue with the city’s failure to maintain trash services after Hurricane Ida in 2021.
Richards was one of two main vendors that handled garbage hauling during the hurricane.
In the meantime, IV Waste owner and developer Sidney Torres IV said the company is overwhelmed with support and hopes things pan out.
“It’s our hope that the mayor and her administration lets the process play out like originally planned,” Torres said. “We will continue to give the best service until whatever day is our last day.”
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