The Evangeline Parish Police Jury readdressed the issue of blighted properties within the City of Ville Platte during its meeting on Monday, March 4.
Secretary-Treasurer for the Police Jury, Donald Bergeron, said, “I did want to state for the record, we had taken a look at all the properties in Ville Platte because we were told at our last meeting that we had 53 houses. That kind of painted the picture that we had 53 abandoned blighted properties in town.”
“We pulled out 48 properties according to the tax assessment roll that we had,” Bergeron continued. “We did 30 inspections on these properties so far. Eleven were empty lots, 11 were good houses and we condemned eight houses, which the jury voted to have those houses demolished and properties cleaned up.”
Bergeron also shared the jury has mailed certified letters to each of the last known owners of these properties, “letting the tax payer know those houses have been condemned and will be demolished shortly.”
During its meeting, the jury discussed increasing the pay given to Justices of the Peace and Constables in the parish for attending their annual training.
According to Police Juror Lamar Johnson, JPs and Constables are currently getting paid $350 to cover costs to attend the training. However, he said it is costing the JPs and Constables “$500 now to go to the seminar once a year.”
This increase in pay would only occur once a year for the training.
This topic was tabled until after Bergeron receives more invoices from JPs and Constables attending their training so that the jury can better determine what the appropriate increase would be.
During its regular meeting, Public Works Director Chester Granger shared an update on several projects taking place in the parish.
Granger said Ward One drainage equipment is in Rocky Rider’s district at this time. He continued, “When we are done there it will be moving to the demolition of the houses in the city.”
The public works director then shared that in Sidney Fontenot’s district, work is continuing on Old Basile Road. Granger said, “I spoke with DOTD (Department of Transportation and Development) last week. They are going to muck out the ditch and try to get the water to go toward Tiger Point Road. As far as going across where it naturally went years ago, I don’t think they are going to try to push that issue any further.”
Granger also informed Fontenot and the jurors that in the Durald area, they were finally nearing an agreement for right of ways to allow the jury to dredge a gully to help prevent flooding.
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ELIZABETH WEST Managing Editor