“We’re still at the beginning. We know what the administration wants. We’ve known that for a year. They want to go to the AMI. That’s fine. As far as taking care of the immediate problem, I don’t think we have done very much with that. I really don’t because I have been a victim of it and I see where we make the mistakes.”

That was St. John the Baptist Parish Councilman Larry Snyder’s answer this week when I asked if he felt our community was closer to the end, than the beginning when it came to our water meter problems.

The District VI representative didn’t sugarcoat his answer or try to portray any false optimism.

When we talked Wednesday morning, the topic of water meters and potential solutions were fresh on our minds as the Council had just concluded an hour-long workshop on the issue the evening before.

Complete overhaul solutions were discussed, along with their costs projected for the next 20 years.

There was also a plan and date — it’s Aug. 1 — shared by administrators to read every water in person in an effort to end the overbilling that has plagued residents for years.

Unfortunately, as a local resident, the optimism I wanted to feel about our parish’s plan for change and chances of a positive solution were dimmed somewhat in the days after the workshop following my interactions with local leaders.

Councilman Snyder and Councilman Michael Wright were the only two people who returned my phones calls. I thank them for their time and honesty. After beginning the process Wednesday, two other members of the Council hadn’t responded to phone or email messages for clarification by Friday morning.

According to St. John Communications, calls and an email left Wednesday and Thursday, will lead to responses in the next week.

I understand we’re all in the same rough spot with the water meters, but to be this deep in the process more than two years after these troubles became obvious and not presenting some sort of unified or discernible front is worrisome.

We all want this problem to end; we’re just looking for a solution or, at the very least, an elected leader to say, “This is the plan. This is how we’re going to fix it.”

During Tuesday’s workshop, four solution scenarios were discussed that detailed spending between $16.4 and $23.4 million over 20 years to overhaul our water meter system with an accurate and fully maintained alternative.

Parish Council members say they are expecting to receive a recommendation from the Parish President’s office by July 10, potentially setting up a vote this summer that charter’s St. John on a course for solution.

However, with the Council and Administration yet to strike a public accord on a solution, I’m left in the same boat as the numerous members of the our community who addressed their St. John leaders during Tuesday’s workshop — and that’s underwhelmed.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated since the printed edition to reflect information provided by St. John Communications after press time Friday.)

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.