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Is garbage company overcharging the town of Delcambre?

DELCAMBRE — Officials with the town of Delcambre are not too happy with Progressive Waste Management, the company that picks up garbage in Iberia and Vermilion Parishes.
At a town council meeting earlier in the month, Delcambre Mayor Pam Blakely informed the aldermen that Progressive Waste wanted to raise its monthly rate for residents who live in the Iberia Parish side in Delcambre.
The company informed Blakely it was increasing the bill by just under $2 a month per resident and wanted Blakely to sign a new contract with the new rate increase. She did not.
The town has yet to sign a new contract because it also learned Progressive Waste may have been overbilling the town, said Blakely at the town meeting.
Progressive Waste sends a bill to the town for certain amount of residents who live in the Iberia Parish side of Delcambre. The town just pays the bill for the amount of homes Progressive Waste sends the town.
After investigating Mayor Blakely learned that Progressive is charging the town for 22 homes on Debuse Road in Delcambre. She told the aldermen there is only one house on the road.
If that is allegedly happening, the town is being overcharged $3,150 a year just for Debuse Road.
On Dooley Street, Mayor Blakely said Progressive Waste is allegedly charging the town for 36 homes when there are only 15 homes in the Delcambre city limits.
“We are being overcharged,’ said Mayor Blakely.
The town has been paying Progressive Waste for 59 homes that do not exist, said Mayor Blakely. That equals to around $9,000 a year.
Homer Stelly, the town’s new street commissioner, did a ride along with Progressive Waste Management, and discovered there are alledgedly 60 homes being charged to the town that do not exist.
Because of that, the aldermen have not approved the signing of a new contract with Progressive Waste.
They are waiting for a new garbage company to submit bids to see if they are cheaper than Progressive Waste Management.
Another option is to get out of the garbage collection business, altogether, and just let Progressive Waste Management send the bill to the home owner.
The Mayor also complained that Progressive Waste Management trucks are dripping oil on the streets of Delcambre.

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