Police Jury accepts $52,000 bid to purchase old library building

The old Evangeline Parish Library building on Main Street has finally been sold.
During Monday night’s Evangeline Parish Police Jury monthly meeting, Secretary-Treasurer Donald Bergeron informed the board that the jury had received a bid of $52,000 for the property from A&D Rental Properties, which is owned by Casey Ardoin and Dirk Deville.
Bergeron said that the money made from the sale will be used to help either construct a new or remodel an existing structure to be used as a storage facility for both the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, Clerk of Court’s Office and District Attorney’s Office.
“The question is can we build a suitable storage facility or remodel an existing building for that amount of money? I don’t know,” Bergeron asked the Jury.
Police Juror Rocky Rider said, “I make the motion to go ahead and sell it. We have been fighting with this for a long time.”
The Jury voted unanimously to accept the bid but also added to earmark those funds specifically for a new storage building.
Assistant District Attorney Marcus Fontenot informed the board of the minor changes he did to help shape the state ordinances when it comes to local nuisance properties, which the Jury is looking to enforce with penalties, fines and even possible criminal charges.
“I took the state ordinance and added some language that follows what the City of Ville Platte has,” Fontenot said.
The Jury liked what Fontenot had done and set a public hearing at next month’s meeting on September 12 regarding those changes to the parish-wide nuisance property ordinances.
The Jury also discussed what to do when it comes to collecting delinquent sewer bills in the parish, which amounts to $109,000 in overdue accounts.
Fontenot informed the Jury that if a person hasn’t paid he or she’s bill then they are not in compliance with the parish’s Sanitation Ordinances, and the Jury should be allowed revoke that person’s electrical permit.
Cleco’s Principal Governmental Services Representative Sabrina Salling informed the Jury that Cleco, which is regulated by the Louisiana Public Service Commission, can not disconnect someone’s service for an unpaid bill, unless Cleco’s customer is in a “dangerous situation.”
Salling further stated that there is no rule that allows CLECO to turn off power to someone’s home because of an unpaid bill to another entity.
Police Juror Bryan Vidrine recommended that the Jury sent a letter to the commission asking them to alter the rules and allow the Jury to have CLECO shut off the power to those residents in the parish that do not pay their sewer bills.
During his 2015 Audit Report, Vic Slaven informed the Jury that despite all the financial challenges the group had last year, that they still only overspent $69,668 which according to Slaven was really good news.
“I think you did a pretty good job with everything you had going on,” Slaven said.
Other items unanimously approved at the meeting were:
•Approve appointment of Lance Chapman to Evangeline Parish Recreation Board, replacing Nick LeBas who resigned
•Approve reappointment of Katy Marcantel to Library Board of Control
•Approve liquor permit for Piney Woods Trail Ride which will be held from September 2-4.
•Approve beer permit for Annunciation Church Bazarre in Duralde
•Approve resolution supporting a merger between Workforce Investment Board Area 40 and 41
•Approve a four percent Administrative Charge for E-911 payroll based on payroll amount