Harlan Kirgan
By Harlan Kirgan
Editor
Leaky roofs at a slew of city buildings is among the topics that began to fill the Eunice Board of Aldermen’s agenda for a meeting Tuesday.
Mayor Scott Fontenot brought up the roof issue at a meeting Thursday to set the agenda for the meeting to begin at 6:15 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Eunice Municipal Complex.
There is money in the city’s capital outlay budget to repair the roofs, Fontenot said.
“It’s a major issue and if we don’t fix it, it is going to get worse,” he said.
The leaky roofs are located at:
— The former Jantzen building on West Maple Avenue. Fontenot said it may take about $20,000 to fix.
— The central fire station, which may cost up to $40,000, he said. “When I was telling my dad (former Police Chief Gary “Goose” Fontenot) about it he said, ‘Yeah, we talked that 30 years ago.’ So it is time.”
A pitched roof may be added to the fire station, he said.
— City Hall. Fontenot said areas have been repaired in the past only for new leaks to develop.
“... the water finds another spot and right now is leaking right on (Rep.) Phillip DeVillier’s office,” he said.
The leak previously migrated from the the city judge’s office to the clerk of court office.
— The Department of Motor Vehicle Office.
Aldermen also will be presented with action on dilapidated buildings. Bill Thompson, code enforcement officer, has a list that include:
— 411 S. CC Duson.
— 720 and 730 Carron Street.
— 451 N. Beulah Street.
— 1050 Faris Ave.
The agenda session also turned to properties adjudicated to St. Landry Parish.
Alderman Jack Burson said, “I don’t think the parish an give itself dispensation from our city ordinances. Let’s give them notice.”
The mayor said, “I talked with (parish president) Bill Fontenot a couple of times about some of the properties and they said are going to have someone look into them and they haven’t done anything.”
Burson, who was a parish government attorney for many years, said, “I can tell you they have a long history of neglect.”
Burson added, “If we don’t start getting aggressive with that what’s going to happen to Eunice is what happened from North Louisiana all the way to the Gulf. Rural communities are falling apart because young people who want to come back to an area are not going to build next to something like that. So, they build in the country and use up good farmland for house sites.”
Aldermen are also to hear from city engineer Karl Aucoin about a street overlay project the mayor said he wants to start as early as June.
The Board also may hear Police Chief Randy Fontenot’s request to lease-purchase five Chevrolet Tahoes.
An ordinance to set millage rate is to be introduced. Millage rates are 6.77 for general alimony and 5 for street maintenance.
Public hearings are scheduled at 6:15 p.m. for two ordinances.
One includes rules on demolitions.
The other is to charge a $1 per page copy fee for public records. Officers or employees of the city are exempt when performing official duties.