STEVE AICARD

Staff Writer

LAPLACE — St. John Parish is calling upon residents to place all their debris, limbs and storm-damaged items at the curbs for quicker pickup.

According to Natalie Robottom, Chief Administrative Officer for the St. John Parish, “The entire parish has been gone through at least once if not twice and we’re now going through a third time.”

The parish is working in conjunction with Ceries to pick up and dispose of the fallen branches and debris from Hurricane Katrina.

Ceries had contracted the assistance from Scioneaux, Inc., J. Caldarera and Co., Inc., and Hubbard Enterprises to remove the branches and fallen trees, but now that the majority of the debris has been handled, Ceries is no longer utilizing the three contractors.

Waste Management will continue to pick up household debris as scheduled. The Louisiana Department of Transportation is handling the branches and debris along state highways.

Robottom explains that the biggest area of delay is that storm debris is constantly being put out on the curbs to be picked up after the contractors have gone through the area.

“If everyone could get all their debris ready to be picked up, the process would be completed sooner and more effectively,” Robottom added.

Robottom does suggest that debris in plastic bags should be separated from branches and construction debris.

She added, “We should be completed in the next couple of weeks, but a lot depends on the residents getting all the debris to where it can be picked up.”