Much of the parish-wide flooding that has occurred since the hurricanes has been caused due to the debris that remained lodged in ditches and blocking culverts, Bellard said.
Parish government last year did not have a contract with any independent waste removal companies, which meant neither St. Landry nor the SWC would be eligible to receive reimbursement from FEMA, Bellard added.
Last week the Parish Council authorized Bellard to sign separate contracts with companies that will now collect storm debris and monitor the collection process.
The contract with Morgan and Morgan Land Preparation LLC allows the company to pick up storm waste, while another with Thompson Consulting Services LLC permits that company to oversee the performance of Morgan Land Preparations, which is located in the Sunset area, said Bellard.