ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / May 27, 2000

LAPLACE – The lettering on the parish water tower that stands near Belle Terre Boulevard was a matter of discussion this week by the St. John theBaptist Parish Council.

The water tower is being renovated and repainted and should be finished this week. Before work on the tower the logo of the Belle Terresubdivision was emblazoned. Right now, the tower’s face is blank.Councilwoman Melissa Faucheux said she got several calls from residents in all districts who wanted to know if the logo for St. John Parish or atleast “LaPlace” be put on the tower.

Faucheux is in the middle of investigating the issue and wanted to know why the parish name could not be put on the tower.

According to Chief Administrative Officer Chris Guidry, the parish is negotiating with Belle Terre Land Co. over the lettering. Guidry said the land where the tower sits used to belong to Landmark Land.

The parcel, worth about $70,000 was donated to St. John Parish with thecaveat that it would only be used for the water tower. Landmark Land alsoretained editorial control over what was painted on the tower, and that is why the Belle Terre logo was on the water tower.

In 1999 Landmark Land was dissolved as a company and Belle Terre Land L.L.C. got control of the land.Then Primeco Telecomunications came to the parish and offered to pay a yearly fee to put a cellular phone antennae on the water tower.

Belle Terre Land L.L.C. said it had the right-of-way to the water tower,and if the parish and Primeco wanted to get to the tower, the parish would have to agree to the same covenants and editorial control that Landmark Land had in the past. In order for Primeco to erect its antennae, the parishagreed.

So for the present, Guidry said the Belle Terre logo will be painted on the tower.

However, Faucheux is not satisfied with that and said, “I think it is unfair for the taxpayer to pay for something that is not part of the parish.”She said the towers at Woodland, Lions, LaPlace and Reserve all have parish names, and the Belle Terre tower should be the same.

In other parish council business: Cleveland Farlough had a resolution passed that requested the state Department of Transportation and Development install street lighting at Louisiana Highways 3127 and 6140.

Job Boucvalt got authorization to install street lighting on U.S.Highway 61 neutral ground from Main Street to the Montegut Shopping Center.

The council gave the administration permission to seek bids for two pumper trucks for the LaPlace Volunteer Fire Department.

Kermit Duhe is the new Code Enforcement Officer for St. John Parish. Hewill work for the Planning and Zoning office and investigate all complaints of zoning and code violations. The council said that eventuallyDuhe will get another enforcement officer to help him out.

Faucheux suggested the parish look into putting aside land to be used only for ATVs, dirt bikes and go-carts. She thinks that it would be saferfor parish children to have an ares dedicated to these activities.

Allen St. Pierre said he wants the occupational license department takenout of the service center and asked the administration for a better policy for OKing these licenses.

“We are being presented with these licenses without knowing all the details,” said St. Pierre, “and I would like to know a little more before IOK something.” Parish engineer C.J. Savoie presented the council with a substantialcompletion of the Regala Park lighting project. The council accepted thecompletion unanimously.

Mitch LeBas, engineering consultant with Shread-Kurkyendahl, told the council they are still working on the Homewood and Central Avenue drainage projects. LeBas said they have rejected the bids for the projectso far and are waiting for more bids. He also told the council the MasterDrainage Plan is progressing and should be finished by January 2001.

Parish President Nickie Monica said the administration has finally cataloged all the surplus equipment, and he will shortly set a date for a surplus equipment auction to clean up the area behind the Hebert Building.

Ranney Wilson announced the appointment of Roger Ford to the Planning Commission to fill the unexpired term of his former appointee who had to step down because of work responsibilities.

Recreation Director Errol Manuel announced that June 15 is St. JohnParish Night at Zephyr Field in Metairie. All citizens are invited to comeout and enjoy the baseball game. The first pitch is at 6:05 p.m.

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