VP council briefed on water projects

During the monthly Ville Platte City Council meeting Tuesday, engineer Ronnie Landreneau said equipment was installed last week that will collect water metering data remotely. Installation of test meters should begin next week, he said.
He also said no interruptions of water service are expected when the “smart meters” are installed at residences and businesses in the city. Mayor Jennifer Vidrine said the new system will keep closer track of water use, and will be able to detect leaks, which will help prevent “spikes” in water bills.
The automated metering system is part of an overall $13.5 million project to improve the city’s water system that includes installing new water lines and hydrants. Landreneau also briefed the mayor and council on progress on improvements to the city’s water distribution system. He said the second phase should be completed in three or four months. He said the entire project will be completed in a year to a year and a half.
Landreneau said a number of leaks have been stopped. He also said, “We’re finally getting our water wells operating properly.”
That was better news than he gave the council two months ago, when he told the council the city’s primary well and the water treatment plant needed immediate repairs that could cost $80,000.
During the council meeting this week, the mayor had mixed economic news for the council. The positive news was that seven new businesses opened in the city in October. The negative news was expenses for October were $31,394 more than the September expenses, mostly for gas, legal and insurance costs.
The mayor announced two proclamations that she presented during the council meeting:
•The first was made to Bobby Soileau, who was inducted into the Louisiana High School Boxing Hall of Fame last month. Soileau, on the Sacred Heart boxing team, won state championships in his weight class in 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1954, becoming the state’s ninth four-time high school boxing champ and earning the Brink Trophy. Other inaugural hall of fame inductees from Evangeline Parish in October were three-time champs Terrona Guillory and Larry Hollier. Both boxed on the Mamou High team.
•Mayor Vidrine presented KVPI General Mamager Mark Layne, the station’s office manager, Bonnie Fontenot, and the station’s first engineer, J.S. Fontenot, with a proclamation naming KVPI Day on November 22 marking it’s 60th year of operations. The station will recognize the anniversary with an open house on that day. Mayor Vidrine said she and the three, as well as KVPI’s Charlie Manuel, toured the original location of the station, in the old Evangeline Bank building at Court and Main streets, earlier the day of the council meeting.
In other business:
•The council voted to have Eric LaFleur, its legal counsel, draft documents that will allow Annison Fontenot to use a portion of city property so he can access his property on Gabrielle Road near Union Tank Car Company property. Fontenot said railroad cars blocking an existing access road to his property has caused him to drive two miles to approach his property from another direction. He said he plans to clear trees and build a bridge on a 20-foot by 250-foot portion of the unused city property, which used to be part of a dump site.
•Mayor Vidrine announced that two city vehicles will be put on auction. “They’re finished. There’s no other way to say it. They’re just finished,” she said.
•On LaFleur’s advice, the council voted to approve a resolution presented by Lake Charles attorney Marcie Hartman regarding a case involving the city in a vehicle accident that is expected to be the subject of a court hearing on December 2.
•Fire Chief Ted Demourelle reported there were 26 calls for assistance in October involving 8 structure fires in Ville Platte. Police Chief Neal Lartigue reported there were 703 calls in October to the police department, resulting in 402 police reports, 81 arrests -- 12 of them felonies, and 51 vehicle accidents.
•During the mayor’s report at the end of the meeting, Mayor Vidrine said fences and gates are being placed where roads cross over canals in the city to prevent people from dumping appliances or other debris in the canals. She said three will be installed at a time until all of the roads have fences where they cross over the canals. The mayor also reported the city-wide garage sale last Saturday “was a huge success,” drawing a lot of traffic from inside the city as well as surrounding areas.