District 1 residents complain about flooding, renters

PHOTO: District 1 Councilman Carroll Delahoussaye (left) and Parish President Guy Cormier, hold an information-only meeting at Belle River. Delahoussaye, who is term-limited, has another six months left in office, during which he pledged to continue working actively for his constituents. (Linda Cooke)

The St. Martin Parish Council met May 26 in the new community center building here.
Meeting as the Public Works Committee, members heard from engineer James Blanchard who distributed maps depicting the Bayou Estates levee project in response to area residents who complained about the continuing flooding issues on the roads. According to a printout from Blanchard, the $3 million project will be funded primarily by a state Community Development Block Grant and by FEMA.
The proposed project consists of a floodgate on the north side of Bayou Estate, a sheet-pile flood wall and a new drainage pump station. The project will also upgrade the existing pump station, sealing manhole covers, re-routing drainage pipes and building berms where needed. Work on the project is to begin in December and be completed by May 2016, providing all permits and other approvals are granted.
Thomas Carpenter, a resident of Stephensville’s Landry Lane, spoke of major road flooding. Parish President Guy Cormier said if a resident wanted to buy pipe for covered drainage, the parish will install it.
The Administrative/Finance Committee, meeting directly afterward, heard from District I residents Rodney Wagley, Shannon Bruni and Jackie Dolci, who complained of a resident on their road renting his camp and causing a disturbance for other residents. Cormier said he is aware of the issue and that the camp owner had been notified that he must have an occupational license to operate a rental business. The owner, he said, has ignored all warnings, and now it will be necessary to pass an ordinance giving Parish Government the authority to proceed to an arrest if the situation continues.
A Belle River resident, LauraNell Pipsair, asked Cormier about the structure of the recreation district and was told it was a completely independent organization. Recreation district chairperson Charlotte Ratcliff responded that she had spent many years of unpaid efforts to develop the two Lower St. Martin Parish recreation sites and she was very proud of the success to date. She welcomed anyone to attend the recreation board meetings which are held on the 4th Thursday of each month.
In other business, the board considered the adoption of several resolutions:
•Overall Hazard Mitigation Plan;
•Appointing Teche News as the official journal;
•Amending ordinances concerning noise regulation;
•Authorizing President Cormier to execute an Intergovernmental agreement between St. Martin Parish and Lafayette Consolidated Government relative to Lajaunie Road bridge.
The meeting ended with President Cormier announcing that Coach Carroll Delahoussaye, being term-limited, would be leaving the council after many years of service. Delahoussaye assured those present that he would still be in office for another six months and to bring their concerns to him during that time as always.