Council gives Vidrine power to name zoning commission

The Ville Platte City Council gave Mayor Jennifer Vidrine the authority to name members to a temporary Zoning and Planning Commission. The commission will make recommendations to the Council to divide the city into residential and business zones for future development.
The plans for the zoning commission have been in the works for several months, while City Attorney Eric LaFleur did the necessary research.
Tuesday evening, at its regular monthly meeting, the Council voted unanimously to allow Vidrine to name “around seven” members to the committee. The members should represent “a cross-section of business leaders working or residing within the City of Ville Platte.”
Vidrine said that members of the general public who are interested in serving on the commission should contact her office before March 31.
The commission will meet in April and present its recommendations to the Council in May. Then, in June or July, a public hearing will be held before the Council votes to approve or reject the recommendations.
In other business, the Council hired three new full-time patrolmen. They are not post-certified. They are Matthew Willis, Jordan Veillon, and Erica Ponthier.
The Council approved three new liquor permits. Two of them are for existing businesses that have changed owners and names: Empire Night Club and The Bar. The other is for a new business, Wing Shack, which should open in three or four weeks. Wing Shack will be located at the intersection of MLK and Dr. Carver streets.
Resident George Morgan addressed the Council about the operation of state police in the city limits. Morgan, who said he is a former police officer, said that the state police should not be allowed to work inside the city. He said that it worsens the relationship between the citizens and law enforcement.
Vidrine also recognized Gabrielle Chapman, a junior at Ville Platte High School. Chapman is set to receive the Girl Scout’s Gold Award on Saturday. She is the daughter of Donald and Wilda Chapman.
The Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, equivalent to being an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts. Less than six percent of eligible scouts actually earn the award.