The Ville Platte City Council approved an ordinance concerning weed, grass, and vegetation abatement that would allow it to tap into a $50,000 grant to force property owners to clean out overgrown lots. The decision was made at a regular monthly meeting Monday evening.
The City already has an ordinance requiring property owners to maintain the grass and vegetation on their property. If, after being warned, property owners do not clean up their lots, then the City has the authority to cut the grass and clean up any weeds or obnoxious vegetation. If the City performs the work, the expense is added onto the owner’s property taxes.
The new ordinance continues this duty and consequence. However, by adopting the new language, the City is able to tap into a funding source to fund the initial outlay of manpower and equipment to clear overgrown lots.
The program, offered by Louisiana Municipal Advisory and Technical Services, also frees the City up from having to do the paperwork on the process. Instead, overgrown lots are referred to LaMATS, which will handle the notifications for warning the property owner and for follow- up on collection.
In addition to the new ordinance, the Council also approved issuing up to $5 million of bonds to pay for the waterline replacement project. The money will pay for the completion of Phase 3 and for Phase 4 of the project.
According to City Engineer Ronnie Landreneau, Phase 3 is about 95 percent complete. Landreneau said that there is still some closing out of a few old lines and dressing up some of the work left to be done.
Phase 3 is being done in the southwestern section of the city. Phase 4, the last phase, involves replacing waterlines along Main and La Salle streets, which are state highways.
Landreneau also said that the $1 million project for improving the waste water facility has begun. The project, which is to provide advanced effluent treatment, is about 15 percent complete. It is being paid for through a Louisiana Community Development Block Grant.
An application for a $800,000 grant for street improvements is continuing its progress, Landreneau reported. He is very optimistic that the City will qualify for the grant.
The Council approved asking Thaddeaus Arvie for a sketch of a mural for the MLK Center. Arvie, who did the artwork at the Boys & Girls Club, would like to do a mural of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the center named after him. Once Arvie shows the Council his sketch, then it could decide whether or not to fund the project.
In her report, Mayor Jennifer Vidrine announced that she is seeking mottos to put on a welcome sign at the east entrance of the city, near Tobacco Plus. She said that she would like to have a new sign with flag poles at the entrance to the city.
Any mottos should be short, only a few words long. They can be submitted to the mayor’s office.
Vidrine also announced that the Christmas street lights will be turned on beginning Dec. 1. The Christmas Parade will be Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m,. immediately following which the decorations at the park across from City Hall will be turned on.
Evangeline Family Medicine announced that it will hold a Breast Cancer Awareness rally on Saturday, Nov. 18, from 10 am – 12 noon. At the rally, information about free mammograms will be available. There will also be door prizes and food.
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NICHOLAS JAGNEAUX