By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / Febuary 11, 1999

HAHNVILLE – Heeding the calls of disgruntled west bank residents, the St. Charles Parish Council gave Parish President Chris Tregre 37 days to get negotiations going on the proposed hurricane protection levee.

The council approved a resolution at its Monday meeting, giving Tregre until March 10 to report progress.

“How long are we going to expose the people to the danger?” Councilman G. “Ram” Ramchandran, author of the resolution, asked. “It is time we bringthis to a head for the sake of the citizens of this parish.”The resolution, which passed by a vote of 7-2 – Councilmen Brian Champagne and Barry Minnich voted against, noted the stalled situation and the concerned citizens.

“We are being held hostage by these negotiations,” Ken Riggin, president of the Coronado Park Civic Association, declared. Coronado Park sustainedmuch street and residence flooding last fall.

Champagne noted that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which describesitself as “in the middle” between the parish and other state and federal agencies, “has yet to recommend one single alignment.”Tregre, in his own defense, declared, “I want a levee as quickly as anyone else.”He added, though, the corps has done no study and that whichever alignment is chosen, all the soil borings, surveying, engineering, environmental impact studies, government permits and right-of-way acquisition will need to start.

Parish attorney Randy Lewis commented the right-of-way acquisition, especially by going with other than Tregre’s proposal, could take years.

Ellis Alexander observed that Tregre “has fought valiantly for this, but I think it’s not feasible.”Tregre said he took an oath as parish president to protect the people, and added, “they took an oath, too,” referring to the various federal agencies.

In other activity at Monday’s meeting, the royalty for the Krewe of Lul and Krewe of Des Allemands were recognized and honored.

The Krewe of Lul will parade on Feb. 13 at 1 p.m., honoring King Kermit J.Brown, Queen Joyce “Pepper” Brown and Grand Marshal Marie Breaux Babin.

The Krewe of Des Allemands will parade Feb. 14 at 2 p.m., honoring KingWilfred Breaux, Queen Velma Matherne Breaux and Grand Marshals Alverta “Tootie” Dufrene Matherne and Marguerite Brandt Dufrene.

The Parish Council also approved an operating subsidy for Sunset Drainage District for 1999 totaling $212,500, citing a decline in oil and gas royalties in recent years.

Contract monitor Leonce “Tut” Clement’s report to the Parish Council noted his office has approved the lighting layout for Fashion Terrace Subdivision in Hahnville and Highland Estates Subdivision in Norco.

Also, the office is working with Entergy to install 67 street lights along Airline Highway from Almedia Road, St. Rose, to the St. John Parish line.

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