ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 19, 2000

LAPLACE – The issue of whose logo is to be painted on the side of the Belle Terre Boulevard water tower is still up in the air.

Parish President Nickie Monica vetoed an earlier council resolution to only put the St. John Parish logo on the tower, which he said would go againstcontract requirements that the Belle Terre Land logo be placed on the tower.

In asking that the council uphold his veto, Monica said, “It is clear that this contract is binding. We have to put the Belle Terre logo on the tower.We may lose more money and the chance to put the St. John logo on thetower if we pursue this. Therefore I ask you to keep my veto.”Monica has left open the possibility that after negotiations, both logos maybe could be placed on the tower.

Melissa Faucheux, who originally brought up the issue of the logos on the tower, was supposed to ask for a resolution to get Attorney General Richard Ieyoub to investigate the contracts between the parish and Belle Terre Land.

However, she tabled her motion until the next council meeting. Insteadshe asked council attorney Barry Landry if improprieties were found in the contracts, who should they be reported to.

Landry said Faucheux should go to the district attorney or the attorney general with such a claim.

Faucheux would not say if any improprieties had been found in the contracts.

In other council business: State Sen. Louis Lambert got a $459,193 grant from the LouisianaCommunity Development Block Grants to fund the Pleasure Bend Volunteer Fire Department. The money will be used to build a fire station and buytwo fire trucks for Pleasure Bend.

Cleveland Farlough said, “The people in Pleasure Bend will now live in a much safer place.” Monica got a resolution passed to ask the state Department of Transportation and Development for approval to keep the Reserve/Edgard ferry operating on weekends.

“This makes good economic sense,” said Monica. “On the weekends peopleon the west bank are forced to go to Lutcher and Destrehan to shop. If wehad the ferry, then people would go shopping in St. John.”Lester Rainey added, “The ferry is another emergency evacuation route for the west bank, and I’m in favor of it operating on the weekends.” Monica was given permission by the council to extend the lease for the American Military Heritage Museum out by the St. John Airport. Themuseum is planning an expansion to include more military combat aircraft. Catalpa Street was officially re-named Catalpa Drive. Monica told the council the administration plans to hire a department head for planning and zoning within 30 days. Monica also said he would post a job opening for a parish inspector. whowould monitor all activities by Mosquito Control Inc. and make sure thecompany is spraying on schedule and in the proper places. The council agreed to tell citizens about a state mandated yearly fee of $3.20 to be put on all water bills in the parish. This fee, to be collectedonce a year, will be used to monitor safe drinking water throughout the state. Rainey got the council to request that the DOTD look into adding another north/south highway on the west bank of the parish. The resolution cameout of Rainey’s experience a week earlier when an overturned gas truck on Louisiana Highway 18 caused a huge traffic jam and forced many people to find alternate routes to get around on the west bank. Monica named Bertram Madere, Duaine Duffy, Cleveland Farlough and Chris Guidry to a panel that will discuss a proposal that the Port of South Louisiana purchase the St. John Airport.

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