DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / June 10, 2000

CONVENT – “Willy, we appeal to you. Set some examples and write sometickets,” said Elton Aubert, St. James Council chairman Wednesday. The request came following comments from Paulina citizens on the growing problem with all-terrain vehicles in that town.

The majority of citizens live on the east side of Louisiana Highway 642, which, since the parish covered the drainage ditch, has become a dirt- riding trail for the off-road motorists.

Peter Burns spoke to the council on his concerns of safety, property value, aesthetics and destruction of environment. Burns said he has seen kids asyoung as 10 driving at high speeds down the roads. With such activitiesgoing on within feet of home, property value will decrease if the houses go up for sale.

“If someone broke in and stole the $2,000 dollars (worth of property), Willy would chase down them down,” said Burns.

Continual dust clouds fog up the roadway causing dangerous visual impairment, said Burns. The track is digging ruts in the ground andspreading gravel onto the roadway, also causing dangerous conditions, he added.

Tamara Byrns stood before the council for a second time with the problem of neighbors driving on her property. She had called the police severaltimes, but to no avail, Byrns said. “We thought the parish was good, and itwas until the 4-wheelers came,” she added.

Colbert Clark informed the council that he had already received $4,000 in property damage from the vehicles. “I have to push rocks out of my frontyard before I can cut my grass,” Clark said. He stated that Martin hadinformed him that two weeks earlier, he had taken 10 kids to their parents for driving on the state highway and right-of-ways.

The parish is looking to for a way to keep the off-road vehicles off the road and out of the yard. Currently, policing the area more often is thebest solution offered.

The morning following the council meeting, Martin met with his captains to discuss new policing policies on both sides of the river.

“We’ll stop the vehicle on the streets and highways and take the drivers to their parents,” said Martin. Warning citations for both adults andjuveniles will be given, at the discretion of the deputy. If the driver triesto get away or is driving recklessly, then they might assign a higher penalty, said Martin.

When asked about the possibility of impounding vehicles, Martin replied that it would not be necessary except with second offenses.

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