VP Council gets good budget news

The Ville Platte City Council got some good budget news during its monthly meeting Monday, June 10, during a review of its annual budget.
Mayor Jennifer Vidrine thanked city employees for helping bring the budget $562,578 under what was projected to be for the fiscal year that ends June 30.
A CPA with John S. Dowling & Company, Dana Quebedeaux, who summarized the city’s budget and amended budget, said “this is truly an excellent budget,” that showed growing income for two consecutive years. “That means a great deal,” she said.
Revenue coming into the city increased by $498,530, surpassing $13 million, Quebedeaux said. The mayor led the council and the audience in applause several times as Quebedeaux discussed various components of the budget.
The mayor and council agreed to have a special meeting at noon on June 26, to approve the amended budget.
The agenda included a public hearing of a proposed ordinance requiring city hall to report on travel expenses by city employees and the cost of gift baskets the city presents to visitors to the city and people who have made significant achievements.
However, the sponsor of the proposed ordinance, Taranza Arvie, was not present when the hearing was scheduled to begin, 15 minutes before the monthly council meeting.
Arvie was present during the regular meeting, and he presented the mayor and council with a revised version.
The council voted to schedule a special meeting before its regular meeting next month, on July 8. However the hearing will only concern the cost of gift baskets. Mayor Vidrine and the city’s travel expenses are public records already.
Travis Fontenot and Nancy Duplechain with Troupe d’Evangeline announced that group is applying for 501(3)(c) tax exempt status and plans to renovate an old warehouse behind the Swamp Pop Museum. Beside having their functions in the building, they plan to offer art workshops for children, have receptions there, and offer to rent the building for other organizations. They thanked the mayor and council for offering Troupe d’Evangeline the Northside Civic Center for the past two and a half years.
Fire Chief Ted Demourelle reported there were 28 calls for assistance in May that included 16 instances in Ville Platte and eight structure fires. Police Chief Neal Lartigue reported there were 642 calls for help in May which resulted in 225 reports filed, and 42 arrests, eight of them for felonies.
Mayor Vidrine commended the work city employee Hilda Edwards is doing to have abandoned properties cleared. Edwards has been documenting the problem properties by photographing them.
The mayor said the city continues to send out letters to owners of property that needs to be cleared. She said two such properties were cleared earlier in the week. Others have had to go to court for violating an ordinance the council passed regarding abandoned property.
The mayor also announced:
•All full-time and part-time employees of the city will receive a 3 percent increase in salary.
•The city will not increase utility rates for another year. She said there have been no increases in those rates during her term.
•Work is now beginning on a walking trail and volleyball courts at Hargrove Park and making improvement at other city properties.
•City residents should see less water leaking from water lines onto streets after engineer Ronny Landreneau reported progress in shutting down old water distribution lines as new ones are connected.
•Cleco has donated $1,000 for use by the new Boys and Girls Club of Ville Platte, The mayor said on June 20 and 21, residents are being asked to help with cleaning up the old Evangeline Bank building on Main Street for use by the club. Volunteers should bring their own cleaning equipment. The club will organize flag football games for boys and girls who are four to six years old, and tackle football for boys seven to 12 years old. The games will be held on Saturdays, starting in July. The mayor said the club also plans to offer tennis, cooking, miniature golf and other events.