Shreveport Council Makes a Decision on Recycling

In a bizarre turn of events, the Shreveport City Council voted down the latest proposal to move forward with recycling in the community. This measure would lift the surety bond required of the company winning the bid, C. Edwards Concepts.

As the meeting started, there were only 4 council members in attendance. Chairman James Green, Dr. Alan Jackson, John Nickelson and Grayson Boucher were in the chamber when the recycling measure came up.

Who Wanted the Recycling Contract Postponed and Why?

Green told his colleagues the City Attorney asked that the measure be postponed for undisclosed reasons. He said during the meeting he did not want to say in public why the postponement was being requested. But he said it was a valid reason.

But Boucher and Nickelson voted against postponing. Then when it came time for a motion on the item which would lift the surety bond requirement for C. Edwards Concepts, the company that won the bid for recycling, the room got quiet. That's when Nickelson actually offered a motion to approve this item. But he said he was only making the motion so this proposal could be defeated. Boucher seconded the motion.

Then things got wonky. Green called for the vote. On the board in the council chamber it showed only Jackson voting for the proposal to waive the surety bond. Green voted with Boucher and Nickelson against it. But a few minutes later, Green apparently realized what he did and told the clerk he voted yes. So I guess his vote will go into the minutes as a yes. But the measure failed on a 2-2 vote.

You can try to figure this one out. But in the end, the 5 year, 10 million dollar contract for recycling looks to be dead. Unless Charlotte Edwards gets a surety bond, she will not get the contract. Will the city rebid the deal or will this come back up when all of the council members can attend the meeting. We will just have to wait and see.