Lt. Toby Wetzel is Arnaudville’s new police chief

The Oct. 15 meeting of the Arnaudville Board of Aldermen was relatively calm after the past couple of years. What has changed is that Police Chief Richard Mizzi turned in his resignation at the end of October, and Lt. Toby Wetzel was appointed interim police chief.
A special election will be held on April 5, 2014, to elect a chief to finish out the rest of the term. The next regular election will be held in November 2014.
At a special meeting, the board decided that they would continue with an elected police chief rather than seek a change in the charter to provide for the office to be appointed.
In other news, the board voted to lower rental fees at the Community Center from $700 to $500. The motion was proposed by Board member Ricky LaGrange, who said he had received quite a bit of feedback that the fees were too high. He said his thinking is that more members of the community would use the facility if the fees were lower.
The security deposit will remain at $200, refundable if the town does not have to spend money to clean the facility after use.
LaGrange said he feels that since it is a community center, it should be more accessible to the community.
Board member Todd Meche was in agreement, as long as the town’s expenses are covered. Board member Annette Guidry said she would support the motion on a trial basis.
Town engineers are working on a Community Development Block Grant proposal to upgrade the sewer system. To increase the town’s possibility of receiving the grant and to provide matching funds, the town will pay for a new screen, as well as engineering and administrative fees. According to the engineers, there have been some ongoing problems at the plant which the grant would address.
Utilities supervisor Ron Turner asked the board for a portable building and slab at the sewer plant to be used as an office and storage of documents relating to the sewer plant. A motion was passed to get a bid on the cost.
A special meeting was set for Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. to receive the audit report. The Board agreed to set the celebration of Halloween for the day of Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m.
The Christmas parade will take place on Dec. 7.