By ROBIN SHANNON
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — The second time was the charm for St. John officials hoping to move forward on a wide range of infrastructure improvement projects as voters approved all five propositions that make up the parish’s $29.5 million bond issue.

The money to fund the projects tied to the propositions, which include drainage improvements, road improvements, recreation upgrades and hurricane protection, will come from existing parish property tax millages. No new taxes will be levied.

Parish President Bill Hubbard said he followed the returns as they came in Saturday evening and was very pleased that the residents supported all five propositions.

“We gave the people of St. John the opportunity to select which infrastructure needs were the most urgent and I am glad to see that all passed,” Hubbard said. “I am looking forward to getting to work right away on all of the projects.”

With only one other election on the ballot in St. John, the race for 5th Circuit Court of Appeals judge, voter turnout was extraordinarily low. Only about 20 percent of the registered voters came out to cast ballots Saturday.

“We ran a good campaign and informed as many people as possible, but we were still expecting a low turnout,” Hubbard said. “The 20 percent that came out was actually more than we expected.”

Election results from the Louisiana Secretary of State show that three of the five propositions passed by an overwhelming margin. Proposition 1, which invests $8 million into improvements to the parish water system on both sides of the river, earned 3,794 yes votes to 1,922 no votes and passed by a 66 percent margin. Proposition 3, which invests $9.7 million for drainage improvements and construction of a levee along Lake Pontchartrain, collected 3,829 yes votes and 1,800 no votes and passed by a 68 percent margin. Proposition 4, which calls for $2 million to improve intersections along Airline Highway in LaPlace, garnered 3,762 yes votes and only 1,963 no votes and passed by a 66 percent margin.

The other two propositions on the ballot ran much closer races. Proposition 2, which sets aside $7 million for improvements to the Edgard Courthouse and construction of a government complex on the East Bank, received 3,392 yes votes and 2,293 no votes. It passed with 60 percent of the vote. Proposition 5, which invests $2.8 million into improvements to recreational facilities on both sides of the river, managed 3,219 yes votes to 2,493 no votes. The measure passed with about 56 percent of the vote.

Hubbard said he was concerned that the two propositions would fail, especially after a handful of council members spoke out against the initiatives.

In the week leading up to the election, District 1 Councilman Haston Lewis, District 3 Councilman Charles Julien and Div. A Councilman at large Dale Wolfe all expressed heated opposition to all five propositions. The men contended that the projects focus more on the East Bank of the Parish and don’t do enough for the West Bank. Lewis had even said at one meeting that he felt passage of Proposition 2 would lead to a change in the Parish seat. Results of the election showed that West Bank residents stood behind their council representation as precincts in Edgard, Lucy, Wallace and Pleasure Bend reported an overwhelming number of votes against the measures.

“I’m certainly disappointed with the way the vote went in those areas,” Hubbard said. “I thought the propositions were fair to all parts of the parish. The projects will improve the quality of life of all residents in St. John.”

St. John Public Information Officer Buddy Boe said once the bonds are sold, which should happen sometime in early June, the parish intends to get started on as many of the projects as possible. He said residents should begin to see work begin before the end of this year.

“We are going to show the voters what we can do with this funding,” Boe said.