Harlan Kirgan
Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot is to negotiate a request from the Rev. Kayla Givs to use the Southeast Community Center seven days a week for an after-school feeding program.
Givs is pastor of Restoring God’s Glory Ministries Inc. that has been using the facility since the COVID-19 outbreak for feeding programs.
At Tuesday’s city Board meeting, Givs said the six-week program fed 12,000 meals to the elderly, disabled and veterans.
Volunteers cooked meals daily during a time when grocery stores shelves were emptied as many people were forced to stay at home in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“Our next was where we did our summer feeding program,” she said.
The program included Eunice and six other cities and it was in its second year. The program fed more than 75,000 children in three parishes, she stated.
“We created 50 jobs with our summer feeding and project even more with the after-school feeding program,” she said.
Fontenot said the request to use the center seven days a week from 1 to 7 p.m. is different than the current use.
Board member Germaine Simpson said the use of the center for the feeding program on Saturday and Sunday would impact the public’s use of the center.
Renting the center is one way the center pays for maintenance of the building, she said.
“I have some concerns about the seven days a week,” she said.
Fontenot said the city allowed the feeding program to use the facility when the COVID-19 occurred. State mandates limited the number of people who could be in proximity to one another essentially halting use of the center.
Board member Chad Andrepont suggested creating a backup plan for use of the center. Calling the feeding program “amazing,” Andrepont said, “I would think it would be great to work with you.”
Givs said shifting to another site for the food preparation would mean obtaining a new health permit.
The mayor said 99% of the rentals of the center are for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
During the week the Southeast Center is used by Head Start if it has in-person classes.
Givs is requesting use of the building through May 2021.
Other business included:
— Condemning property at 100 Fruge St. and 451 N. Beulah St.
— The owner of 541 N. 4th St. was given 30 days to make progress on cleaning up the property.
— The Board authorized a letter to U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson requesting legislation to transfer ownership of the Liberty Center Annex to the city.
— Declared a 1995 Gradall surplus.