ASCENSION PARISH – Six people in Ascension Parish have been tasked to resolve a heavily debated sewer contract.

For months, the parish council has tried to agree on a plan to consolidate the service. Now, a team has been created to come up with a solution.

“These conversations are going to be long and they're going to be thorough,” interim infrastructure director Ken Dawson said.

Dawson was one of the team members picked to look at the terms and conditions of a potential contract with Ascension Sewer LLC. The other members include councilman Corey Orgeron, councilman Joel Robert, councilman Dal Waguespack, councilwoman Teri Casso and chief administrative officer John Diez.

“In order to make a good decision in the parish everyone has to consider everything that could affect the parish,” Dawson said.

The Parish Council has been taking up this matter since November. A vote has been delayed multiple times. The agreement would consolidate sewer services, which is something Dawson says is needed to improve water quality.

“We already have impaired streams in Ascension Parish in Bayou Manchac,” he said.

But there hasn't been a resolution on the $200 million contract that would last 30 years.

“The goal is to step back a second and establish a committee and make sure everything is evaluated,” Dawson said.

The new team hopes to have a resolution by the next parish council meeting on March 19.