By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

VACHERIE – The St. James Parish Council on Tuesday gave their approval to a long awaited drainage improvement project near Lutcher High School.

The council voted to approve a resolution allowing Parish President Dale Hymel Jr. to enter into an agreement with the Pontchartrain Levee District and the St. James School Board for installation of 850 feet of culverts, in addition to other drainage improvements near the Lutcher High School football stadium.

Hymel said the parish would pay up to $148,000 for labor, equipment and purchase of the culverts, while the school board would pay for materials, supplies and any other expenses involved.

Councilman Jason Amato, who represents the town of Lutcher on the council, said the parish, school board and levee district have been in talks since October to get the project in motion. He said the improvements are needed to help drain water off the levee in the area.

“The project is actually several years in the making,” Amato said. “I appreciate the work of the parish and the school board in getting this done.”

Hymel said the project would begin after work is completed on a new football stadium. The stadium, which was damaged in a fire in November, was demolished this week and is expected to be rebuilt in time for the start of football season.

In other action from Wednesday’s meeting, the council approved a pair of resolutions to hire consultants to assist the parish in managing 10 projects tied to the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program.

South Central Planning and Development out of Houma will serve as the grant administrator for the following projects: installation of an emergency generator for the Gramercy Wastewater Treatment Plant, improvements to the Lutcher sewage treatment plant, improvements to evacuation streets in low or moderate income areas, installation of a water line under the Mississippi River and replacement of water lines in low or moderate income areas.

Providence Technical Services of Baton Rouge will serve as the grant administrator for the following projects: residential roof repairs in low or moderate income areas, a parish recreational facility/ community center, hardening of the Lutcher Town Hall/emergency operations center, culvert replacement and installation within the town of Lutcher, and drainage improvements in the town of Gramercy.

Toward the end of the meeting, Hymel also announced the sale of the old St. James Hospital in Lutcher to Beacon Management. Hymel said the company paid $250,000 to purchase the building, which will be turned into a psychiatric hospital.