“NOLA's DDD ‘Clean Team’ Supervisor Quits Amid Scandal of Missing Equipment”

This article is the latest in an exclusive series by “The NOLA Tabloid” in examining widespread mismanagement and dysfunction affecting the taxpayer-funded New Orleans Downtown Development District.

You will see them in NOLA’s downtown, Clean Team workers wearing distinctive, bright green shirts pushing a trashcan and wielding a broom. The DDD’s Clean Team hits the streets of the CBD daily to tackle littering and are highly visible from Canal to Julia streets. This small army of dedicated staff is perhaps the most tangible example of progress the DDD can point to in sprucing up and promoting a better quality of life downtown. However, according to current and former DDD employees, whom “The NOLA Tabloid” will not identify, the work culture is toxic and rife with mistreatment and mismanagement.

Those allegations came to a head last week when a senior Clean Team supervisor, 49-year-old Mark Landry, abruptly resigned amid a cloud of missing DDD equipment. Unnamed DDD employees said that Landry stormed out of the Clean Team’s garage on O’Keefe Avenue in the CBD when it was learned by auditors that equipment he had purchased was now missing. These employees allege that it is believed Landry sold the equipment to buyers online and pocketed the cash. Unnamed DDD employees also claim that an uncashed DDD check was later found in Landry's office in the amount of $10,000.

These employees believe that the check was forged. Yet, it is important to note that Landry has not been arrested nor charged with any crime, whatsoever.

Unnamed DDD employees tell “The NOLA Tabloid” that Landry was notorious in the mistreatment of Clean Team workers, many of whom complain of low pay and lackluster benefits when compared to other DDD staff. Landry had supposedly been the subject of various complaints by Clean Team members to DDD executives that were seemingly ignored. Some Clean Team employees had even noted other peculiar behavior of Landry for years involving DDD equipment that was also ignored by executives. Despite these complaints, Landry was recently awarded by the DDD for 10-years of loyal service in September of 2018.

What do you think? “KNOW THE NOLA!” Be sure to like, comment & share! Like on Facebook & Follow on Twitter @thenolatabloid