ST. MARTINVILLE — The St. Martin Parish government is seeking a new solid waste collection provider after a tumultuous experience over the last two years with Pelican Waste, the current contract holder.

“Media reports have said we were considering a new vendor,” St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said during his report at Tuesday night’s St. Martin Parish Council Finance Committee hearing. “We’re not considering it. We’re doing it.”

Cedars said the request for proposals has already been released, with a closing date of July 1. But that is not a given that it will take that long.

“We want to move quickly on this,” Cedars said. “I have talked to several companies and told them that if they have an offer to let us know. If they do, we may have to call a special meeting.”

Cedars also made a presentation to the council on the American Rescue Plant and the potential windfall of money available to the parish under the program.

“There is $10.3 million for St. Martin Parish,” Cedars said. “But don’t get real excited about that yet.”

Cedars explained that the funds were for specific uses directly related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the parish and its residents, but many of the details have not been worked out yet.

“I want to see something more concrete before we put any money in our bank account,” Cedars said.

One option for using the funds would allow the parish to move forward with the water production consolidation Cedars had pitched to communities in the parish earlier this year. The act allows funds to be used specifically for infrastructure related to water systems, sewage projects and broadband expansion.

“It could go toward the consolidation of water, expansion of some water systems and additional water lines,” Cedars said.

During the Public Works hearing, the council heard that several projects — from road construction to work on the Joe Daigre Canal to dredging of Catahoula Lake and drainage work on Bayou Fuselier and Pont Brule.

Most of the work is moving forward, with road construction and work on the Joe Daigre Canal scheduled to start in coming months. Even the dredging at Catahoula Lake is scheduled to move forward in October and be complete by April.

On the Pont Brule project, however, Cedars said that issues with the engineering firm and problems in securing permits for the drainage work have not been solved.

“I am not pleased with the performance of this engineering firm,” Cedars said. “Other projects, we have had frustrations, but have moved forward. But this firm is not getting us where we need to go.”

Cedars also said that the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is preparing to do repair work on the boat launch and boardwalk at Lake Martin now that an agreement has been reached with property owners to reopen the public launch. The third project, work to improve the parking lot at the site, wil be the responsibility of the parish to complete.