By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

EDGARD – At a recent meeting in Edgard, the St. John the Baptist Parish Council engaged in discussions regarding farmers markets for the east and west banks of the parish.

St. John Economic Director Julia Remondet said the parish is finalizing a joint use agreement with the Department of Transportation to use land at the foot of the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Wallace for a west bank market.

“The parish has conceptual approval for a free standing metal building to house the market,” Remondet said. “We are seeking a federal grant to cover the cost of construction.”

Remondet said the parish is seeking a more than $99,000 grant through the Delta Regional Authority to fund the west bank market. She said the grant is written and will be submitted by Feb. 1.

Councilman Haston Lewis questioned Remondet on why parish administrators were waiting on grant funding. Lewis asked why the administration wasn’t considering money from the parish’s economic development fund.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said the parish would rather wait for grant funding since the parish still needs federal approval for land use, but added that using economic development funds could expedite the process.

“We need to submit a formal drawing of the building,” Robottom said. “If we are not worried about waiting for a grant, we can put 20 percent down and get a building in place. Department of Transportation has seen conceptual drawings and they are impressed.”

Robottom said the west bank market has the support of residents, farmers and crafters. She said many farmers who sell in various locations on the west bank are excited about the opportunity of one location.

The story is different, however, for an east bank market, which, according to Robottom, had not been previously discussed by her administration.

The parish has no location in mind and no grant funding in place. Robottom said a grant for an east bank market had been submitted in the past but was denied.

An east bank market also lacks the support from potential vendors. Councilman Steve Lee said in the 24 years he has been on the council, the parish has tried three times previously to put a farmers market on the east bank, but many of the farmers do not want it.

“The intention is to help these vendors, but they want to be where they want to be,” Lee said. “It is not as easy to build them a spot where they all can be happy.”

The council agreed to revisit the topic at future meetings.