LAPLACE — Complaints about trash service in St. John the Baptist Parish made their way before elected leadership, with one councilman terming the service “terrible.”

Several Council members expressed their displeasure at last week’s Parish Council meeting with the performance of Progressive Waste Service, saying they received numerous complaints from constituents. Recently, the company shifted garbage pickup in the parish from Wednesday and Saturday to Thursday and Saturday, which Council members say causes problems.

Additionally, they claim the trucks occasionally run late, creating a situation where garbage may not be picked up until late Thursday evening and then early Saturday morning.

“The service is getting worse,” Councilman Marvin Perrilloux said. “It’s terrible. We need to sit down with the administration and see what the problems are.”

He added he was told by the company the schedule change “was no big deal, but it is a problem.”

Parish President Natalie Robottom expressed her disappointment, as well, but said she recently met with company officials, who committed to making improvements. She also inquired with legal counsel about the legality of the company moving a facility out of the parish but was told Progressive was within its legal rights as per the contract.

Councilman Ranney Wilson said he believes the Council has been misled by the company and added he has seen where garbage has been picked up in only half of a neighborhood, with the other half being left behind.

In other business, hotel parking space regulation was amended to meet state standards.

Council members approved an ordinance last week changing the number of required parking spaces at parish hotels to one space per guest room plus four additional spaces for employees. Previously, the requirement was 1.25 spaces per hotel room.

Deputy chief administrative officer Angelic Keller said she was not aware of complaints with the previous ordinance but added the new requirements bring the parish up to industry standards.

“What we had was excessive,” she said, adding the proposal evolved from a meeting with developers.

Council member Jaclyn Hotard allayed concerns Millet expressed about adequate parking, saying even if a hotel is fully occupied, there is usually not a vehicle for every room.

“In the tourist industry, you usually don’t have those situations,” she said. “The old requirement was dated.”

In additional business, Parish Council members:

• Heard local youngsters would be paying lower fees to participate in youth sports beginning with Biddy Basketball in the fall. Although the new fees have not been announced, Council members say the cost to participate will be reduced from the current $45 per person per sport.

Officials were hoping to have the lower fees in place for the upcoming baseball season but were unable to do so.

• Awarded a contract to Huey Stockstill, Inc. of Picayune, Miss., for $102,993 for construction of the Garyville Timbermill Trail, Phase I, which includes a multi-use trail beginning on Museum Street, near the Garyville Timbermill Museum and traveling 1,600 feet along the canal bank toward the Kansas City Railroad.

The effort is funded through a Louisiana Department of State Parks and Recreational Trails Program and the 2014 Bond Issue. The project is estimated to cost $123,252. Phase II of the project is expected to bid in October and will extend the path to Louisiana 54.

— By Richard Meek