By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish Council will hold a public hearing on July 12 in Edgard allowing the public to make any comments on ordinances being considered for adoption.

An ordinance to levy millage rates in St. John Parish for 2005 will be presented, but no changes have been made from the millage rates in 2004.

“Nothing has gone up,” said Director of Finance Jeff Clement. “Each year, we have to introduce the mills at a public hearing, even if nothing has changed.”

Around 40 mills are brought in every year to the Parish totaling around seven million dollars. The mills are divided into different categories such as Parish-wide tax, courthouse and jail maintenance, library tax, public health, mosquito abatement district, juvenile detention center, street lights, general obligation bonds, ARC maintenance and the senior citizen center.

Another ordinance will be introduced to authorize Parish President Nickie Monica to purchase land, a 35-foot access and utility servitude for $130,000, to expand the Woodland Water Treatment Plant to meet guidelines from the DHH, according to Parish Attorney Jeff Perilloux.