French Quarter business owner files lawsuit against Mayor Cantrell Amid ongoing IV Waste controversy

AVOID THAT AREA. MORE TRASH TROUBLE TURNING INTO A LEGAL SHOWDOWN IN THE FRENCH QUARTER. A RESTAURANT OWNER HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST MAYOR CANTRELL REGARDING HER DECISION TO END THE CITY’S CONTRACT WITH IVY WASTE. WELL, THE MAYOR WANTS HENRY CONSULTING TO TAKE OVER THAT CONTRACT IN AUGUST. AND THIS CONTROVERSY HAS BEEN PLAYING OUT BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND CITY LEADERS FOR MONTHS NOW. WDSU REPORTER JASMINE FRANKLIN IS LIVE IN. JASMINE, YOU TALK TO THE BUSINESS OWNER WHO FILED THE LAWSUIT. YES, BELLA AND GINA, THE OWNER OF FELIX’S OYSTER BAR AND RESTAURANT, FILED THAT LAWSUIT ALONG WITH ANOTHER BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN THE FRENCH QUARTER. THEY SAY IT COMES AMID RECENT CONTROVERSY AND THE FUTURE OF IVY WASTE. THE CONTENTION IS THAT SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO UNILATERALLY EXECUTE A. SO, I MEAN, THIS IS A $73 MILLION CONTRACT, DANIEL CONWELL, THE OWNER OF FELIX’S RESTAURANT AND OYSTER BAR, FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST MAYOR CANTRELL OVER THE FUTURE OF SANITATION SERVICES IN THE QUARTER. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES AND THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS IN THE FRENCH QUARTER WHO ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY THIS. IN THE LAWSUIT, CONWILL ARGUES HENRY CONSULTING IS NOT CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB. THE MAYOR SAYS HENRY CONSULTING WILL TAKE OVER CLEANING OPERATIONS THIS AUGUST AFTER BEING AWARDED A $73 MILLION CONTRACT. THE MAYOR DID NOT GIVE A REASON FOR THE CHANGE, BUT THIS WOULD CUT IVY WASTE EMERGENCY CONTRACT SHORT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, MR. HENRY’S COMPANY DOESN’T OWN ANY EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO. SERVICE THE CONTRACT AND OTHER BUSINESSES AGREE. THESE SIGNS SUPPORTING IVY WASTE ARE POSTED ACROSS THE FRENCH QUARTER. WE WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IF FOR SOME REASON THEY DON’T RETAIN THE CONTRACT. BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, WE’RE HOPING THAT THAT THEY DO BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY’VE DONE. ALTHOUGH HENRY CONSULTING DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR CALLS FOR THIS STORY, THEY DID RELEASE A STATEMENT LAST MONTH SAYING THEY ARE EXCITED TO WIN THE SELECTION PROCESS AND LOOK FORWARD TO PERFORMING ALL THE REQUIRED SERVICES. SIDNEY TORRES, THE OWNER OF IVY WASTE, RELEASED THIS STATEMENT, SAYING IN PART, IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THE MAYOR AND HER ADMINISTRATION LET THE PROCESS PLAY OUT LIKE IT ORIGINALLY PLANNED. WHEN THE EMERGENCY CONTRACT WAS ISSUED, SO WE CAN CONTINUE UNTIL DECEMBER 23RD. AND TONIGHT WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO MAYOR CANTRELL’S OFFICE FOR HER RESPONSE TO THE LAWSUIT. WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK. REPORTING LIVE IN NEW ORLEANS, JASMIN