FEMA funds cannot be used for the roadwork.
If the council approves using that money for work in Stephensville, the parish road budget would have about $700,000 in it that could be used for other areas of concern as approved by the parish council. Another $500,000 is expected to remain from the budget for projects that are now being finished.
“So we’d have, I would say conservatively a million dollars to add to this list here in areas that the council would feel is needed at this time,” Delcambre said.
The list is preliminary, he said, and the council should look at the roads in their districts so that engineering can be completed quickly and the work can begin.
Parish Council Chairman Chris Tauzin asked if council members should meet with the administration to express any concerns they have over the roads listed, and Delcambre said that council members should confirm if those are the roads that are most in need of work in their districts, but also to keep in mind the budget constraints.
“I’d like the interjection of the council to be in agreement with this, and by that point in time we’d have a better bearing in mind as to what additional moneys we would have and where y’all want to go with the additional money with the road projects in your districts,” Delcambre said.
The parish council indefinitely deferred action on a resolution to execute an intergovernmental agreement with the Parish of Lafayette for the Bayou Tortue Road Bridge replacement.
The council also tabled a motion until its next meeting to enter into an agreement with Cajun Rush’s recreational soccer program to provide a youth soccer program in St. Martin Parish, while the parish awaits information on which fields the organization will use, and specifics on its insurance program.
The council heard a proposal from officials with Cajun Rush at the February council meeting to run a youth soccer program in the parish.
Appointments
The council approved appointments for several board positions at Wednesday’s meeting.
The board approved a resolution appointing Wanda Johnson to fill the unexpired term of Michael Seider on the 16th Judicial District Children and Youth Planning Board.
Johnson, a Justice of the Peace in St. Martin Parish, told the board she is a staff member of Boys and Girls Club of Acadiana and previously worked for St. Martin Parish Schools for eight years, and was with the Save the Children Program.
“My goal is to work as a team with everyone else, to make an assessment of the community to find out what we can do better, so that kids can grow up and graduate from high school and reach their full potential,” she said.
Councilwoman Carla JeanBatiste said the board has had vacancies for some time and this is a good time to fill one of those spots with a qualified person.
Tauzin and Delcambre also expressed their support for Johnson in the board position before the board voted in favor of the resolution.
The council also voted on a resolution to appoint Justin Cantu to serve as a member of the St. Martin Parish Fire Protection District Civil Service Board.
Cantu said he helped Bart Hebert do all the research into the Breaux Bridge Police Department Civil Service Board’s operations when Hebert became city attorney in Breaux Bridge.
Tauzin said the fire department civil service board has one member nominated by the University of Louisiana, one nominated by the parish council and one nominated by the fire department employees. The parish council approves all board appointments. That third position is still open but Tauzin said he hopes to have it filled soon so the board can begin meeting.
The council also approved a resolution appointing Chris Disher to serve as a member of St. Martin Parish Board of Waterworks Commissioners District No. 3.
And the board approved a resolution reappointing JeanBatiste to serve as a member of the Acadiana Area Human Services District. Jean-Batiste said the board members can serve three terms, each lasting two years, and this will be her third term on the board.
Board of Adjustment
The council served as a board of adjustment to grant exceptions to several property zoning ordinances.
The board approved exceptions:
• to Pamela Ledet to move a single-family mobile home onto property zoned I-1 (Light Industrial) on Grand Point Highway, Breaux Bridge;
• to Jory and Shannon Neuville to build a single-family dwelling on property zoned C-1 (Light Commercial) on Burton Plantation Highway, St. Martinville;
• to Leryn Quintana to move a single-family mobile home onto property zoned I-1 (Light Industrial) on Emile Road, St. Martinville;
• to Dianna Durio Huval to move a singlefamily mobile home onto property zoned I-1 (Light Industrial) on Main Highway, Arnaudville;
• to Eric Broussard to build a single-family dwelling on property zoned I-1 (Light Industrial) on Cemetery Highway, St. Martinville.
• to Joseph Hebert to build a single-family dwelling on property zoned I-1 (Light Industrial) on Sawmill Road, Breaux Bridge;
• and to Keith Baudin LLC to allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages within 300 feet of a residence on Oscar Guidry Road, St. Martinville, contingent upon approval of zoning classification change to I-1 (Light Industrial).
The board of adjustment also opted to place on the agenda of April 1 the determination to approve or disapprove the application of Arrow Aviation Company LLC for an Industrial Tax Exemption.
Ordinances introduced The council introduced several ordinances for publication, including one increasing collection fees and adding application fees for the Uncle Dick Davis Park.
Other ordinances dealt with servitude rights for property in Iberia Parish that is served by drainage ditches in St. Martin Parish, with zoning classification for an address on Oscar Guidry Road and for zoning classification for an address on Eddie Ray Road.
In other business
The council also approved a resolution proclaiming the week of April 6-12 as National Library Week; the week of April 21-25 as National Community Development Week; and the month of April as Fair Housing Month.
The council approved a resolution renewing a contract with Warren J. Degatur Jr. to serve as the medical director for all healthcare clinics/ centers owned or operated by the parish government.
The council also approved a resolution authorizing the Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District to mount gauges on both sides of the structure at Keystone Locks to monitor the elevation of Bayou Teche.
And the council approved a resolution to execute a change order of an increase of $255,878.75 and a 42day contract time extension for the Spanish Trail Industrial Park Access Road Project by Glen Lege Construction.
Delcambre told the council that the change order had already been approved in two separate parts by the council, and the council was just approving the two parts as a consolidated change order.
