By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Residents on Madewood Drive in LaPlace can see a little clearer now after having been literally left in the dark the past couple of months with street lights from the 1300 – 1500 block of the street inoperable.

A discussion on the problem took place at the July 8 St. John the Baptist Parish Council meeting, where Public Works Director Brian Nunes told the Council a contract to bore was signed on July 7 for a contractor to come in and bore holes to access the troubled lines under the street.

Councilwoman At Large for Division B Jaclyn Hotard, who requested a discussion on the matter be put on the meeting’s agenda, said the issue has been ongoing for a couple of months and she had received numerous calls and complaints from constituents about the issue.

Nunes said the parish started troubleshooting the issue immediately when calls were made about the lights, but that parish employees did not have the proper equipment to bore. He told the Council the process’ timeline was extended because the contract to bore had to go through public bid law and have three contractors bid on the work before anything took place.

He also said boring on the street would avoid widespread damage to residents’ yards and driveways.

Councilwoman for District VII Cheryl Millet said she had also gotten several resident complaints about the issue, and commented to Nunes that residents’ yards could have been repaired by now if work had begun immediately.

Communications Director Paige Falgoust said all boring was completed on Friday and all lights on the street are now operable.

On Monday, Millet said she had received calls over the weekend about flickering lights, and her main concern is the Council and Administration work together to take care of residents.

“I don’t appreciate the fact it took so long to be resolved,” Millet said.