The battle over the French Quarter trash contract is not about clean streets or garbage pickup. It’s about raw political power and the future of how New Orleans governs itself.

Councilmembers Helena Moreno and JP Morrell, with support from Councilmember Freddie King, have ignored court orders, undermined the New Orleans Home Rule Charter, and pushed an agenda that could permanently weaken the Mayor’s office. If their power grab succeeds, the Mayor of New Orleans becomes a figurehead, unable to govern.

A Timeline of the French Quarter Trash Contract Crisis

May 7, 2024 – The RFP Process Begins

The city issued a competitive RFP (Request for Proposals) for sanitation services in the French Quarter and Downtown Development District (DDD).

July 2, 2024 – Henry Consulting Wins the Contract

Henry Consulting, a Black-owned firm led by Troy Henry, scored the highest and the city officially selected HC as the winner. Its proposal was over $3 million per year cheaper than rival IV Waste’s, saving taxpayers more than $20 million over the seven-year contract.

Late 2024 – Council Refuses to Honor the Charter

Despite the Mayor’s lawful execution of the contract, Moreno, Morrell, and King refused to sign. They cited a subcontractor dispute between Henry Consulting and Richard’s Disposal, even though the City Charter gives procurement authority to the Mayor, not the Council.

“The ordinance requiring the Council President’s signature on contracts is illegal.” – Judge Medley ruling, February 2025

December 2, 2024 – Public Works Hearing

The Council held a hearing but still refused to allow the contract to proceed.

Early 2025 – Courts Strike Down Council’s Power Grab

Judges repeatedly ruled against the Council’s actions. One ordered the Council President to sign the contract. Another declared that the ordinance requiring the Council President’s signature on contracts was illegal.

“The Council has no authority to veto a contract lawfully executed by the Mayor.” – Judge Irons ruling, January 2025

March 2025 – Excuses Removed, Chaos Continues

Henry Consulting and Richard’s Disposal resolved their disagreement and informed the City. The reason for blocking the contract disappeared—but the Council still refused to honor it.

“The City Council is creating chaos where none should exist.” – Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals observation, March 2025

April 2025 – City Council Pushes to Keep IV Waste in Place

In April, the Mayor issued a 90-day termination notice to IV Waste for its emergency/temporary contract, as expressly allowed under the terms of the agreement. This was done in anticipation of the properly procured Henry Consulting contract moving forward at the end of the 90-day period.

Instead of preparing for the lawful transition, Moreno, Morrell, and King publicly criticized the Mayor’s termination notice, openly working to retain IV Waste as the temporary contractor for the entire year. This obstructionist move further delayed the implementation of the cost-saving, legally awarded Henry Consulting contract and played directly into the manufactured crisis the Council was creating.

Summer 2025 – State Law Invites Overreach

Moreno and Morrell supported a new state law that allows the French Quarter Management District to bypass the city and issue its own sanitation contract, but only if the city fails to have a contractor in place.

This law undermines New Orleans’ Home Rule Charter by opening the door for state control. Moreno and Morrell’s actions appear designed to create enough chaos and perception of failure that the state can justify stepping in—even when the city does have a qualified contractor ready.

July 9, 2025 – The Mayor Declares an Emergency

Frustrated with the Council’s obstruction, the Mayor declared an emergency and reissued the sanitation contract to Henry Consulting and Richard’s Disposal.

July 10, 2025 – Moreno and Morrell Move to End the Emergency

The next day, Moreno and Morrell rushed to call a special Council meeting to end the Mayor’s emergency declaration and block the contract yet again, even though no alternative contractor was available.

What’s at Stake for New Orleans

If Moreno and Morrell’s tactics succeed:

• The Home Rule Charter will be gutted.
• The Mayor will be reduced to a powerless figurehead.
• State entities could begin controlling core city services.
• Competitive bidding will be replaced by political favoritism.

The courts have already ruled that the Council is out of line. Multiple judges have affirmed that the Mayor alone has contracting authority. Yet Moreno and Morrell persist, gambling that a Louisiana Supreme Court historically unfriendly to New Orleans will back them.

“The Home Rule Charter is clear – the Mayor executes contracts, not the City Council.” – Judge Cates, July 2025

Related: City Council President’s Garbage Fight is Trash

Race, Power, and the “Lemon Fresh” Narrative

Supporters of IV Waste, owned by Sidney Torres, have filled the French Quarter with “Keep IV Waste” signs, financed and distributed by Torres’s allies.

Some residents gush about the “lemon fresh scent” IV Waste sprays on the streets, as if citrus-scented streets justify wasting millions of taxpayer dollars and violating the law. But the lemon scent is required by the city. Keep it real folks. This is business. and Torres ain’t doing anybody any favors. But the undertone is unmistakable: only the preferred by some contractor can deliver a Quarter “clean enough” for their liking.

With his own lemon scent, Henry Consulting, a qualified Black-owned firm, fairly won the contract. It is being blocked not for lack of ability, but because of political connections and who it supports.

The Sidney Torres Factor

Sidney Torres has left controversy and chaos in every municipality he’s worked in. Lawsuits, failed contracts, and political meddling follow him.

Torres is a major donor to Moreno and Morrell. He benefits directly from their obstruction, which has kept IV Waste in the lucrative emergency contract.

Even the lawsuits by private citizens seeking to block Henry Consulting’s contract are backed by the same lawyer who represents IV Waste.

This fight isn’t about clean streets. It’s about keeping a politically connected contractor in place at any cost.

We Must Defend New Orleans’ Home Rule Charter

The Attorney General, Liz Murrill, has already signaled her support for Moreno and Morrell’s position. If the case reaches the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Council’s allies are banking on preferential treatment.

But the stakes are too high:

• New Orleans’ self-governance is on the line.
• The Mayor’s office will be rendered powerless.
• Taxpayers will pay more while services decline.

We cannot allow Moreno and Morrell to rewrite the rules of city government in real time. This is bigger than trash—it is about the future of New Orleans.

The Pattern We Can No Longer Ignore

Make no mistake: Moreno and Morrell are attempting to concentrate the city’s power base in their own hands. This fight over the French Quarter trash contract is not isolated; it is a blueprint. We already know that Sidney Torres and his PAC are directly funding their campaigns and will likely pour even more money into their coffers during this election season. We also know they are using this major contract as leverage to reshape New Orleans city government to their liking, sidestepping the courts and the City Charter.

But here’s the question every New Orleanian should be asking: what other city contracts are they squeezing business owners over to accomplish their nefarious goals? If they are willing to break the Charter, defy judges, and sell influence in this case, what else are they doing behind the scenes? The people of New Orleans deserve to know before the next scandal erupts.

These actions are right out of the Donald Trump playbook: create chaos, use the courts when they help you but ignore the rulings you don’t like, use corruption as a tool and call it “good government,” and keep telling the same story over and over no matter how outrageous. It’s no wonder Liz Murrill is inserting herself into the fray. Trump has Project 2025.

What is the name of the power‑grab blueprint that Moreno and Morrell are using to get New Orleans under their control? NOLAM&M’s?