Harlan Kirgan
Four of seven properties presented to aldermen now face demolition after Tuesday’s meeting.
Three of the properties to be demolished are adjudicated to St. Landry Parish and the fourth is adjudicated to the city.
Adjudicated properties are those seized for failure to pay taxes.
Bill Thompson, code enforcement officer, presented the properties to the Board of Aldermen.
The parish-owned properties are:
230 S. Mallet St;
460 N. Mallet St.; and
230 Olivia St.
The city-owned property is at 401 College Road.
Properties identified as “dangerous structures” dominated the meeting and one, 251 Boudreaux St., resulted in the owner appearing before the Board.
Daniel Baham said he bought the building years ago hoping the neighborhood would come back, but now uses the house for storage.
“Let me tell you about the neighborhood. They started with my screens. OK. They took screens off the windows,” Baham said. The screens were followed by breaking windows, he said.
“I nailed the doors closed, it got so bad,” he said.
Baham said speed bumps on the street would help slow down the drug trafficking and he asked for drainage work.
Mayor Scott Fontenot replied, “Let’s talk about this property.”
As Baham talked about the trouble from drug dealers, Alderwoman Germaine Simpson responded, “That’s part of the problem. When we leave these dilapidated structures there with no one living in them they are access for drug dealers and, they become drug-infested communities.”
Simpson continued, “If people really want the community to come back they need to either rent those houses out, but you can’t rent it out if it is not fixed up.”
Baham repeated he uses the building for storage.
“Right sir, you are not using it but the drug dealers are using it,” Simpson said.
Baham said he has paid $3,000 in property taxes to the parish and city over 10 years.
Alderman Marion “Nootsie” Sattler said, “When you see a structure like this that’s trouble. That’s asking for trouble.”
The Board agreed with Alderman at-large Jack Burson to have the code enforcement officer and police assess the building and report back at the next Board meeting.
Action was tabled on a house at 331 Perriotti St., which may be donated to the city.
The mayor said the donation would speed up the process of the city acting on the property.
Owner of a house at 560 Lewis St. was given to the end of the year to resolve issues with his house. The house has been on the city agenda since July.
Simpson noted the Board began its meeting with seven properties on its agenda. The city has torn down over 80 structures since she has been in office, she said.
In other business, the Board approved an ordinance amendment setting a fine $2,5000 and/or 30 days for placing a structure on a property without the proper permits. The provision also sets a $100 a day fine until the structure is removed. The removal is also to be paid by the owner.
A contract with Coastal Bridge for $466,884 for street improvements in the Happy Hill area was approved. Karl Aucoin, city engineer, said work would begin after the first of the year.
A SLEMCO franchise agreement was approved. Fontenot said SLEMCO serves three houses in the city.