By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / March 29, 1999

LAPLACE – A move to accept donation of a new trailer for the St. John theBaptist Parish animal shelter was again knocked down in a 6-3 vote of the Parish Council Tuesday.

This was “a friendly motion” by Councilman Steve Thornton “to correct a mistake we might’ve made” in the council’s earlier decision to refuse donation of a trailer from Shell/Motiva.

Kay Durr, chairwoman of the Animal Control Board, campaigned for acceptance of the trailer, which would have been used as an office and provide a “getting-acquainted” area for people and prospective pets.

However, neighbors have opposed any addition to the animal shelter, supported by most of the council.

“I will hold to my commitment,” Councilman “Rock” Perrilloux declared.

“It’s not just one person but the entire neighborhood.”Councilman Nickie Monica supported Thornton’s move, saying the opposition by the neighborhood was a misunderstanding. However,Councilman Dale Wolfe joined in the strident opposition to anything new at the shelter.

“Had I not raised hell, it would have passed!” Wolfe said. “I got stares lasttime from the volunteers. I don’t care. You need to respect the neighborsand you need to respect the council.”Meanwhile, Wolfe said, plans for a newly-constructed animal shelter in Reserve, not far from the St. John Airport, are progressing. “Be patient!”he urged the animal control board.

Thornton’s motion failed 6-3, with Councilman Ranney Wilson also voting in support.

In another matter, Parish President Arnold Labat’s veto of an engineering contract was overridden by vote of the Parish Council.

Labat vetoed a resolution on March 3 which dealt with signing an engineering contract with Shread-Kuyrkendall to do in-kind services for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.This surveying work, already planned for the parish’s $1.5 million MasterDrainage Plan, could scale back on the amount of matching funds required for the planned hurricane protection levee. In November 1997, St. JohnParish voters approved a 3.6-mill tax to construct the necessary drainageimprovements determined by Shread-Kuyrkendall.

Cost of the surveying would not exceed $16,000, according to the contract.

Labat vetoed the measure, though, primarily because the Corps’ alignment for the proposed levee has not yet been determined, so where would Shread-Kuyrkendall survey, he asked.

In addition, Labat insisted the proposed price was too high, that the survey work could be done for less money and the Corps had not yet agreed this would qualify as “in-kind” services.

Councilman Duaine Duffy said, first off, the resolution contained the clause that the contract was predicated upon that Corps approval. Hereminded the council that Shread-Kuyrkendall was hired back in August 1997 to monitor the Corps’ progress with that levee project.

Councilman Kevin Duhon added he agreed with Labat that it was duplication of effort and that it was difficult to imagine how the surveying would be done “if we don’t know where the levee will be located.”Councilman Joel McTopy chimed in: “If the Corps does not approve, we pay nothing.”The override vote passed 7-1, with Wolfe out of the room.

In other action, the Parish Council agreed to work with the Garyville Timbermill Museum and Bank One in an effort to rescue that closed facility from oblivion.

An earlier bailout plan, to ask the Library Board to buy a 1 1/2-acre site next to the museum as a site for an enlarged Garyville Library, fizzled when the board did not agree to the purchase. That income would havehelped settle the debt.

Duhon added that the Mississippi River Road Commission passed a resolution March 22 calling the Garyville Timbermill Museum one of its 10 high-impact projects to enhance tourism and historic preservation in the River Region.

The council, at Duhon’s behest, voted unanimously to assist in managing the museum’s $40,000 debt.

The Parish Council also voted unanimously to rename the St. John ARCCenter in LaPlace for the late Lionel F. St. Martin Jr., a founding boardmember. Linda King of ARC tearfully thanked the Parish Council, and St.Martin’s wife, Margie, observed, “We’re all sort of floating here,” out of gratitude.

Warren Pierre was sworn in at the start of the Tuesday meeting to succeed Ellis “Biscuit” Hall as First District Justice of the Peace on an interim basis until an election can be held Oct. 23 to fill the remainder ofthe term. Hall resigned from the position in January. The term does notexpire until the end of 2003, and Pierre will be ineligible to run this fall.

The Parish Council also voted, with no opposition, to renew Acadian Ambulance’s $204,800 contract to operate in the parish.

Historically, the ambulance contract was a hot-button controversy, as Baloney Ambulance of Garyville consistently vied for the council’s support. Boycotts of councilmen’s businesses and shouting matcheshighlighted the contention.

This time, however, Vice-President of Operations Steve Kuyper quietly presented his case to maintain the company’s presence in the parish. Henoted three recent incidents where Acadian assisted, including the Jan 14 chain-reaction accident on Interstate 10 between LaPlace and Kenner, where 20 patients were transported by 14 ambulances; an Edgard school bus accident where 31 children were transported by 16 ambulances in 65 minutes; and a LaPlace bus accident, where 21 children were transported by 10 ambulances in 45 minutes.

A substitute motion by Thornton to have the contract advertised for proposals did not get a second. Thornton then voted to support Acadian.Finally, a resolution was approved to establish an assistance program for the needy, elderly and handicapped in paying their water bills.

Sponsored by Duffy, the program calls for a voluntary $1 contribution by customers, to be paid into a fund which would be used in this program.

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