LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / September 15, 1999

HAHNVILLE – People lined up Tuesday to address the St. Charles ParishCouncil, bringing their concerns from crumbling canal banks to the economic impact of Interstate 49 to the parish hospital’s ambulance service.

Two neighbors on Ormond Trace, Destrehan, told the council the drainage canal adjoining their back yards was crumbling, leaving cracks in their yards and threatening their children.

Brian Cannon of 8 Ormond Trace said large cracks, 4 to 5 inches wide, were developing in his back yard as water subsided in the unsecured canal bank behind his home, where he has lived for five years.

Torey Stewart of 6 Ormond Trace added that one-third of her original back yard is now washed away and six calls to the parish’s alligator wrangler have been necessary to protect her children.

Councilman G. “Ram” Ramchandran said the “half-engineered, poorly-designed” drainage ditches were “terrible.” However, public works directorRichard Wright insisted there is no money available in the current budget to address the problem properly, and he added it would take $1.2 million torepair and stabilize the 1,500-foot section of canal causing the erosion problem.

Wright said the item is also not in the projected 2000 budget, either.

“How much is a broken ankle?” Cannon asked. “How much is a child’s life?”State representative candidate Dr. Kenneth Pace urged the council toreconsider its support for the conversion of U.S. Highway 90 to Interstate49, connecting Lafayette with New Orleans.

Pace said small, local businesses would be crippled by traffic bypassing on a raised expressway, as in the Gretna-Harvey corridor of west Jefferson Parish.

The Rev. Arthur C. Blue, associate minister at Fifth African BaptistChurch, said his main concern is the safety of the people if something occurs. He added support for the notion hasn’t been forthcoming fromCouncilman Curtis Johnson, who lives in the affected neighborhood of Preston Hollow and Elkinsville. “I don’t know what he’s doing. We haven’tgotten any support there,” Blue said.

Johnson said in the meeting the money simply hasn’t been available, and there has been difficulty in getting the necessary rights of way. Hechallenged Blue to donate his own property for the roadway but it was not immediately forthcoming.

Marvin Brown spoke on the ongoing ambulance service controversy with St.

Charles Parish Hospital and insisted once more the service is profitable for the hospital. He said last year the service earned $650,000 whilespending only $450,000. He called for an audit of the hospital’s books and,again, for the formation of a ambulance service district.

Councilwoman Dee Abadie added she has spoken with hospital administrator Fred Martinez and been told the service is profitable but there are “other” expenses which throw off the curve.

Nevertheless, Abadie said she will draft an ordinance aimed at the parish hiring the ambulance crews under a professional services contract, in an effort to improve their pay and stabilize their jobs.

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