Police jury discusses vandalism, theft issues

The Evangeline Parish Police Jury discussed steps that could be taken to mitigate theft and vandalism in different areas of the parish, including inside the parish jail.
During its monthly meeting Monday, February 9, Chester Granger, parish public works director, said he was called to two locations last weekend where parish equipment is stored and found that nearly 70 gallons of diesel fuel was stolen.
He said fence wire was not cut and padlocks were not cut open, apparently indicating that one or more intruders possessed a key to gain entrance. He said he could change the locks and keys, but could not be sure that those locks would also be opened.
Granger also said vandalism of equipment in the north part of the parish, used for road improvements, has delayed those projects.
Another problem the jurors discussed was theft of stop signs and other signs. Juror Lamar Johnson said 54 signs were stolen in his district during the week after Christmas.
Jurors discussed new security systems that could replace existing ones, including new surveillance systems and locks that can alert anyone with a remote device, such as an iphone or other hand-held device, if someone intruded onto or near parish property after hours.
Jurors also discussed improvements needed at the parish courthouse. Donald Bergeron, parish secretary/treasurer, reported on improvements being made to the parish jail, including cages that are being welded over lights that prisoners have broken.
Bergeron discussed other repairs to the jail, including purchase of a new commercial stove for $4,800 to replace one that is not working, and a new garbage disposal for $3,600. When asked if the garbage in the sink could be just thrown out, he said after analyzing the situation, the decision was made that without a disposal unit, drains would become clogged and the parish would have repeated plumbing expenses.
The state has mandated several improvements that the parish must make to the jail, and Bergeron said state inspectors also determined that the parish needs to replace a fire alarm panel in the courthouse for nearly $4,000.
Jurors learned of financial problems with Section 8 housing from the parish’s director of the program, Anna Frank.
She said the local agency has operated without problems during the seven years she has been director, but that problems have been uncovered about the end of last year, after a new auditor was hired.
Frank said the local Section 8 budget is $25,000 over budget. She said the problem is due to a lack of adequate funding by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
She said that after paying for utilities and other expenses, there is not enough to cover salaries. She emphasized more than once that she could not have done anything to prevent the problem, and asked the police jury to pay salaries and to cover the $25,000 shortfall.
After asking Frank about certain expenses incurred by the local Section 8 agency and being assured that the police jury would be paid back the $25,000, the jurors approved of her request. The police will continue to pay her salary indefinitely.
The subject of who is responsible to pay for installation of a fire hydrant at Mill Creek, which was discussed during a committee meeting earlier this month, was taken up again during the regular meeting February 9.
Jurors had decided during the earlier meeting to pay half the total cost of $4,600 of the hydrant and its installation at the subdivision, off Chicot Park Road.
Some of the jurors wanted to reconsider the earlier vote, saying it wasn’t fair for the parish to incur half the cost. “We just don’t have the money,” juror Johnson said. Juror Kenny Burgess also objected.
Vidrine, who proposed the parish pay half the taxes during the earlier meeting, indicated some of the residents of the subdivision were at the meeting and called one of them, Jacob Fusilier, to speak at the podium.
Fusilier explained that because the properties have a high value, the residents there pay high property and other taxes to the parish, and that the residents should not pay the full cost. Fusilier said almost all of the 36 homes were inhabited with families of at least four, and that the nearest hydrant is a mile away.
The jurors had been assured the parish’s cost would be repaid by funds the state grants to parishes annually for fire protection costs. The funds would be diverted to the parish’s general fund instead of being allocated to Fire District 2, which has responsibility over the area where the subdivision exists.
Marcus Fontenot, the police jury’s legal advisor, said that arrangement would be lawful. He also suggested the parish direct its planning commission to require subdivision developers to include plans for placement of fire hydrants, in consultation with the appropriate fire district, before approving of a subdivision plan.
After approving, by a split vote, of accepting the agreement to pay half the costs, jurors continued to ask Fontenot about what steps the parish can take. “We voted on this,” Ryan Ardoin, police jury president, said, “I’d rather go on,” to the next item on the agenda.
In other business:
•Jurors voted to hire -- for $500 a month -- independent insurance agent Phil Lemoine as risk manager. Lemoine will report to Bergeron. who read a lengthy list of the risk manager’s responsibilities. The parish will reconsider the position in a year.
•Aucoin, the jury president, recognized Robert Reed, a former postmaster, for voluntarily removing litter from along Ball Park Road in Mamou. Aucoin said Reed, who lives in the area, is a good example of what people can do to help their neighborhoods appear more respectful, by taking a more proactive response instead of complaining.
•Jurors agreed to absorb costs of overlaying small sections of the Turkey Creek-Glenmora Road and the Earl Deville Road inside Turkey Creek, at a cost that will be repaid to the parish. The work will be part of the parish’s major road improvement project funded by taxpayers, that includes the two parish roads.
•Jurors passed a resolution suggested by juror Burgess, proposed by the the Veterans & Military Services Committee of the Louisiana Police Jury Association. The resolution calls for police juries to promote recognition efforts regarding military and veterans organizations within their parishes. Burgess specifically mentioned Armed Forces Day (May 16), Memorial Day (May 25), Flag Day (June 14), Independence Day (July 4), Purple Heart Recipient Day (August 7), POW/MIA Day (September 18), and Veterans Day (November 11).
•Jurors voted to approve of a cooperative endeavor agreement with Community Directions Inc., which has asked to have ownership of about five properties the parish has been unable to sell, does not use, but pays to maintain. The company, which has also asked for vacant properties owned by the City of Ville Platte, wants to develop the land for low income residential housing. When asked about the dozen other properties the parish has identified as abandoned and in some cases dangerous, Bergeron said a company located in the north part of the parish is in discussions with him about clearing those properties.