By Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / February 27, 1998

LAPLACE – Problems in the Homewood subdivision in Reserve were brought before the St. John the Baptist Parish Council at its meeting Wednesdaynight.

District III Councilman Clinton Perrilloux said he met with residents of Homewood a month ago and saw a lot of problems in the subdivision, particularly drainage. Perrilloux pointed out that high water areas used tobe closed off, but now cars go through and water goes into residents’ homes.

“(The closing of the roads) needs to be done in adequate time and not wait until water gets into people’s homes,” Perrilloux said.

Parish Public Safety Director Bertram Madere said that the roads were blocked the last time but that there was a problem with people driving around the barricades.

Residents in the audience said there are other problems besides drainage, including people having raw sewage backing into their homes, trash and grass cutting and hunters shooting guns behind their homes.

“We have endured the problems for too long,” one resident said. “Weneeded help yesterday. It is much more serious than us standing herediscussing it. The problem is very, very bad. You need to hear how seriousit is. You have to be there when it is raining. How can you say the parish isgrowing when it is falling apart at one end?” Greg Bush, Director of Public Works, said that the pump in Homewood has been fixed and that other projects are in place to help improve the drainage.

Perrilloux as well as councilmen Dale Wolfe and Ranney Wilson had the item on the agenda.

“It has been a problem for many, many years,” Wolfe said.

In the same area of Reserve, the Reserve Boat Launch lighting project was discussed. Bush said that Parish President Arnold Labat disapproved of hisrecommendation for the project and that he has had to go back to the drawing board. Bush said that it was disapproved because the monthly costof $762 was too high for one area. Bush said that the lights would be forthe entire launch, including the parking area.

Councilmen Joel McTopy said he would not like to see the project delayed much longer.

“They (those that use the boat launch) are not asking for a Cadillac or a Lincoln, they just want a Chevrolet,” McTopy said. “We need to get thelights as soon as possible.”Wilson asked Bush if he could see about a cost estimate if the parish did the installation of the light. Bush said he would check on it.

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