Garbage rates to increase to cover pickup, landfill costs

Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard highlighted the planned construction of a 350,000 square foot state-of-the-art distribution and logistics center in the city during his executive report to the Franklin City Council at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Kumho Tires announced the signing of a contract with The Melis Gruup on Wednesday, Jan. 11, with city and state officials in attendance, to construct the facility in the city. Kumho Tires is one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers with manufacturing facilities in Korea, China, the U.S. and Vietnam.
The announcement was a shot in the arm for the city’s Revitalization Movement, Foulcard said, which has seen the opening of 40 small businesses in the city since the COVID pandemic began.
“The cumulative effort of the city, the city council, and our parish officials and the state legislative delegation, those efforts to bring this multi-million dollar investment to Franklin was a huge, huge win for St. Mary Parish, Franklin, and the entire state,” Foulcard said. “We could not do this alone. It took a complete team effort. I’ve always said it takes many pieces of the puzzle to make it work. We won’t take the credit for this, but when God is in the midst of what all we do, good things happen, and I thank God we found favor in possibly having this company come to Franklin.”
In answer to a question from someone attending the meeting, Foulcard said work is being done to buy the property for the facility, with at least another two years before the work is done.
“It just takes a while,” he said. “It is coming. They are working on it.”
Also in his executive report, Foulcard discussed the city’s third annual New Year’s Eve celebration, and a walk-through he and members of the city administration had through downtown Franklin to go over the Complete Streets program that the city began last October “in an effort to address accessibility and safety of the sidewalks, crosswalks and heaviest pedestrian areas throughout the city.”
Franklin is one of nine municipalities chosen across the state for the program and has many partners in the program, including the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the LSU AgCenter, Atchafalaya National Heritage Area and Acadiana Regional Transportation Safety Council.
“I’m thankful for their guidance and counsel in navigating the application process with my administration,” he said.
The mayor said construction has begun on the new Franklin paddle trail kayak, canoe and floating dock and the fishing pier on Fifth Street at the mouth of the Franklin Canal, which would help create the only loop paddle trail in Louisiana and increase eco-tourism in Franklin.
City Director of Finance Ed Hay talked about the city’s garbage and landfill rates, which are going to increase in order to cover expenditures.
Hay said that as part of the normal review of costs the city incurs, he found that the fees charged to customers are not covering the city’s expenditures for garbage pickup and landfill charges.
“The landfill costs were increased by the parish, so it increased Pelican’s costs,” Hay said. “Pelican (Waste and Debris) has an escalation clause in their contract that allows them to pass that on to us. I had to look at that because we have to cover the costs we have in order to maintain the bond coverage that we have with the state of Louisiana. We have to do this. We have no choice.”
If the city does not increase its charges, it is looking at a $73,000 shortfall this year in that fund, Hay said his projections show. With a projected cost-of-living increase next year, based on current estimates, the city would be looking at a $125,000 non-coverage of costs next year.
Hay said he calculated the rates, separating garbage and landfill costs. Based on the numbers, the garbage rate of $14.50 would increase to $18.50, and the landfill rate would increase from $3 to $4.
“And that’ll give us the opportunity to cover the costs and maintain a positive cash flow, because the bill from Pelican every month is right at $60,000, so we have to make up that difference,” Hay said. “Unfortunately, that’s the only way we have to make that difference up.”
Also at the meeting, Franklin Junior High student Destanee Figueroa, who has been nominated to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. in July, was introduced to the council by her father, Carmelo Figueroa, to see if the city could help offset some of the costs of the trip to the nation’s capital. She was nominated for the honor with a 4.0 grade point average.
“Congratulations,” Foulcard said, after the Figueroas had addressed the council. “You are our future. One day I would like to see you in this seat. I can’t do this forever. Great job.”
Foulcard asked if the family had spoken to the St. Mary Parish School Board about helping provide funds for the trip as well. Carmelo Figueroa said they had not yet, instead choosing to go to the city as the first step in seeking help to cover the trip’s costs. Foulcard said the city would like to help out, but officials want to make sure anything they do is done the right way.
“Let’s see what we can possibly do,” Foulcard said. “I think it’s a worthy and honorable award that she’s doing, and if there’s anything that we can possibly do to help offset some of that cost, we definitely would like to look at that. We’ll take a look at that and get back with you on that.”