Mamou Town Council approves inspections of rental properties

MAMOU — Mamou landlords will soon have their rental properties subject to inspection before the town renders government services to the location.
At the end of the regular Mamou Town Council meeting Wednesday evening, Mayor Ricky Fontenot gave out a ten-point checklist that will soon be used for visual inspection of rental properties. Fontenot had already informed the Council about his plans for the checklist several months ago.
The checklist was developed due to complaints by renters that their landlords were not properly maintaining the properties. Fontenot said that this is a way for the town to “fight blight before it gets started.”
“We’ve had a lot of people complaining that landlords were not making repairs that were promised before the people move into the rent house,” explained Fontenot. “Some rent houses are becoming run-down and not livable.
“We can’t have our residents living in homes not fit for habitation,” he continued. “Plus, if we can get some of the repairs seen about before they get too bad, it will help contribute to keeping blight out of Mamou.”
Beginning Tuesday, when renters apply for water and gas service from the town, the Building Official John Douget will go to the address for a visual inspection of the home. As of now, there is no charge for the inspection.
The inspection consists of items like checking for standing water; operating windows in each room; exposed wires; solid, unrotten steps and porches; and other items.
If any of the ten items warrants repairs, the landlord will be notified. The property will not be eligible to receive any government services until the necessary repairs are made.
In other business, five per cent raises were given to almost the city government staff. With the exception of fulltime patrolmen, all police employees will also receive the raise. The fulltime patrolmen will instead receive a $1 per hour raise.
Next month, a few specific municipal employees will also receive a five per cent raise. These four employees could not get the raise this month because it has to be approved through the adoption of an individual ordinance for each employee getting the raise. The positions proposed for the raise are the gas superintendent, water superintendent, sewer superintendent, and municipal clerk.
At the Wednesday meeting, the Council proposed the individual ordinances for these specific raises. Next month, the Council will act to adopt the ordinances, and the employees will begin to receive the raise in February.