Karl D. Jeter
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Breaux Bridge – The long-planned repainting of the city’s much-photographed landmark bridge over the Bayou Teche has been enlarged in scope.
At the Oct. 8 city council meeting, Mayor Ricky Calais said that the Metropolitan Planning Commission of Acadiana announced recently that the project will be a more extensive restoration than previously planned, with an approved budget of $4.7 million.
Calais said he expects work to begin within 30 to 45 days. It is not clear at this time how long the restoration will take, or what residents should expect in the way of bridge closures during the process.
The contractor will return the structure to the silver color it had when it was built in 1955. “I’m glad to be able to turn the color choice over to someone else,” he said. “We were getting suggestions like black and red, which really didn’t appeal to me that much.”
There was more good news on the project funding front, but with a much longer time line. Calais reported that the Acadiana Planning Commission approved a $3.7 million allocation for a Mills Avenue extension as part of the 2021-2022 budget request.
Residents should not expect the actual project to begin any sooner than four years from now however, Calais said. The eastward extension would free up a large new area for commercial development near the I-10 corridor.
Cleco Issues
As he has done in previous meetings, Councilman Neil “Sam” Melancon again questioned Cleco’s performance in the city.
Ten years remain on the 50-year contract Cleco has with Breaux Bridge to provide the city with electric power, and Melancon does not think the company is complying with certain aspects of its contract. He said power outage reports are too common, there are too many utility poles that have been doubled or tripled, with new poles simply being strapped to old ones. Melancon said he has been “disappointed and frustrated” with Cleco’s response to inquiries from the city pertaining to system maintenance.
Melancon has submitted a request for the company’s records pertaining to pole inspections, tree trimming and herbicide applications.
He is also requesting
a copy of the contract the company is following, to compare it to the one on file with the city, as well as the street lighting agreement and information as to whether Cleco is the sole owner of the electric infrastructure within the city.
Tax Agreement
An ordinance tweaking the provisions of the proposed one cent sales tax increase was introduced.
If approved the ordinace would authorize the city to temporarily suspend the new tax, if it is approved by voters, in the portion of the city north of I-10.
The authorization would expire in 2022, when a 20-year parish sales tax levied in unincorporated areas of the parish ends
Such a provision would keep sales taxes levied in that part of the city the same as all other areas.
