Litter problem discussed at VP Council meeting

The “deplorable” problem of litter in Ville Platte dominated discussion at the October regular meeting of the City Council earlier this week.
Two councilmen and a concerned resident all brought up the problem of trash around the city.
Mike Perron, who represents District C, announced that he is representing the Council on the Keep Evangeline Beautiful board, headed by Becky Buller and Susan LaHaye. The board is examining ways to help promote a litter-free environment.
District F Councilman Bryant Riggs said that he is looking into trash collection services in other parishes to see if the services in Ville Platte can be improved. “Why can’t we have the same services?” he asked.
Riggs said that more than $4 million a year in taxes collected in Ville Platte go to Evangeline Parish Solid Waste. He said that he is interested in finding out how that money is spent, to see if it could be used to improve services.
Gervis LaFleur, who is the head of the Evangeline Community Action Agency, announced a project to encourage each city council district to clean itself up. Next month, the ECAA will give out three awards to the cleanest district.
“Not enough is being done to encourage people to keep their property clean,” LaFleur said. “The city is deplorable, as far as cleanliness is concerned. I challenge you councilmen to work with your constituents.”
LaFleur suggested that the councilmen go door-to-door in their districts to let their constituents know in person how important it is to keep the city clean. “Every councilman should be accountable in some way for the conditions in his district.”
LaFleur also suggested that the council consider an ordinance requiring that residents keep their trashbags in a hard container, so that stray dogs and cats can’t tear the bags up, spreading trash across town.
Mayor Jennifer Vidrine also suggested that when people see others throwing trash on the streets and ground, that they ask the offenders to pick the trash up. “Anybody can do that,” she said.
In other business, the Council approved Landreneau and Associates to manage the work being done under a Community Development Block Grant application. The grant would pay for major improvements to the city’s sewage treatment plant.
Vidrine said that the City is approved for a $5 million loan to pay for the sewage plant improvements, but that money wouldn’t be spent if the CDBG money is approved.
The Boys and Girls Club building finally received a positive report from the state fire marshal, and Vidrine said that it will open on June 1, 2016. The club will be housed in the old City Hall on Main Street. John Deville, owner of the Cajun Catfish restaurant, made a $500 donation to the Boys and Girls Club.
The mayor announced that a $29,000 grant for basketball courts at Northside City Park was approved. She also said that two Town Meetings will be held to discuss improvements to the city’s parks. On Oct. 27, a meeting will be held at Hargrove Park; on Oct. 28, a meeting will be held at the Northside Park.
The Council agreed to set Trick-or-Treating hours from 6-8 pm on Saturday, Oct. 31.
The Louisiana Rockets basketball team, which won the 2015 9th Grade national championship, was honored with a resolution naming Oct. 13 as Louisiana Rockets Day in Ville Platte. It also recognized October as Catholic Daughters Month.