Chataignier begins water shut-offs, swears in new alderman

Gail McDavid, left, is sworn in as the newest Chataignier alderman by the village’s attorney, Bo West, as McDavid’s wife, Lula, holds the bible.

During the Chataignier Village Council’s monthly meeting Monday, March 17, Mayor Jackie Thomas said water service to several people who have failed to pay their sewer bills.
This was the first to lose water service as a new policy recently implemented by the village council. Customers can have their water service restored by paying a $25 reconnection fee. The Mayor said she regretted turning the service off, but the town needs the income to fund its operations.
Wilbur Rozas, the village clerk, said 28 property owners are behind in the sewer bills as of the beginning of this month. There are 483 property owners in the village, he said. Property owners who fail to pay the property tax are assessed an additional amount based on a percentage of the amount due. Rozas said property owners typically pay the past due amount as they see the additional charges.
Rozas said people can pay their property taxes in several ways, and he said he will go to the home of the property owner to pick up a payment if requested.
He also said occupational license fees are due at he end of this month from businesses as well as individuals who provide professional services for a fee within in the village’s borders.
Rozas told the mayor and council the village received a letter from the village’s insurance carrier asking if the village wants to continue uninsured motorist coverage. The village has one police car and a chief of police. The insurance would cover the police chief in the event he becomes injured while performing his duties in an accident involving an uninsured driver.
The council voted to continue the coverage after Alderman Gail McDavid, who moved to continue the coverage and said the village should have the insurance.
McDavid told the mayor and council the state has been observing traffic at the corner of Vine and First streets, which is also part of LA 29. Officials with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development evaluated traffic at the intersection for a couple of days recently.
The village council has asked the LDOTD to make it a four-way stop intersection because drivers approaching the intersection are sometimes confused about what approaching drivers have the right of way.
At the beginning of the meeting Monday, McDavid was sworn in as alderman by the village’s attorney, Bo West. He was appointed to serve the remainder of the term left vacant when an alderman resigned, citing schedule conflicts with the council meetings.
Mayor Thomas said the council had agreed to continue meeting at 6 p.m. through the summer. In the past, the council had begun meeting at 6:30 p.m. after clocks were set forward an hour for daylight savings time.
Hurley Mose, the village’s sewer maintenance manager, briefed the council and mayor on attempts to find and fix a long-standing problem of sewage backups, particularly at the Prairie View Apartments and a nearby residence.
A state survey team has been trying to isolate the location where the backups are being caused. Mose said he has been trying to solve the problem for years.
He also said he plans to retire soon but said he would be available for consultation. He said he hopes the backup problem can be resolved before steps down.
Rozas said the council can ask the Evangeline Parish Police Jury for assistance in fixing the problem, and said there is $9,000 in grant money available in case the village will need to pay costs of, for example, running an additional sewer line under Highway 29.
Rozas said he has been in contact with the federal agency that has the responsibility of selling the vacant Gula Miller apartments. He said the property will soon be advertised online where people throughout the county will be able to see it, and submit bidding forms online.
Also during the council meeting, Gary Ortego, who is running for Division A parish judge, addressed the council.