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Published July 22, 2009
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Bridge demolition half complete (published July 22, 2009)
The first two phases of bridge demolition were completed in Jonesville last
week.
The western approach was taken down last Friday, July 17, and the eastern
approach was blown on Saturday, July 18.
The next and last two phases of demolition are set for this week with the main
span set to be brought down on Thursday, July 23 at 2 p.m. and a final section
on the east bank set for destruction on Saturday, July 25 at 5 p.m.
This Thursday's demolition, other than being executed on the main span of the
bridge, will be much like last Friday's. The same 114 Jonesville residences and
businesses (from Black River west to Willow St., then from Tenth St. on the
south side of town to Little River on the north side of town) will be
evacuated, and the Jonesville Police Departme
nt will move its headquarters to Town Hall.
Mayor Hiram Evans and the Jonesville Town Council ask for those within the
evacuation area to please seek shelter elsewhere this Thursday. For those
unable to find other accommodations, shelter will be provided by the Town of
Jonesville as a last resort. Please contact the Town Hall or JPD for
instructions.
Thursday's explosion will be set off by Richard Griffing, the winner of the Catahoula
Parish Historical Society's Blast the Past drawing.
Saturday's blast will not involve an evacuation of any residences or businesses
on the west side of the river.
Jonesville Council raises Chief’s salary and conducts other business (published July 22, 2009)
A public hearing was held before the council meeting on an ordinance to increase
the police chief
’s salary to $30,000 annually. No comments were made on the subject at the
hearing. When it came up on the agenda, the council discussed briefly that the
present salary of $26,128.26 annually was much lower than that of surrounding
municipalities of
comparable size, and that it was time to correct the amount. The council voted
unanimously to increase the chief
’s salary to $30,000 annually.
Ellis Boothe, the recently appointed Director of Homeland Security for Catahoula
Parish, told Jonesville Mayor Hiram Evans and the council last Tuesday that
whatever he can do to make Jonesville better and the parish as well, he is
willing to do it.
Evans told Boothe he’d like to speak with him about the town’s civil defense policy, which is long out-dated.
Charles Washington spoke to the mayor and council about a house he owns which
has been condemned for some time. The council voted later in the meeting not to
grant an extension of time to Washington to make the repairs to the house to
bring it up to the Southern Building Code. Evans explained that Washington can
appeal the decision by following the instructions outlined in the letter
recently sent from the Town.
Former Jonesville councilman Terry Russ addressed the council, explaining that
last month he moved a trailer to his lot on MLK St., but was told by Chief Roy
that it could not be located there due to a moratorium in place by the council.
Russ had the movers take the trailer to other property that he owns.
He asked the council to reconsider the ordinance on trailers as some people
cannot afford other housing. He explained that was why he brought this trailer
in, so someone else could have a place to stay.
The council had no comment on the matter.
Sondra Redmon, with La. Workforce Commmission (WIA 60), was present to discuss
the inter-government agreement with the town to lease three rooms in the old
School Board Building as office space. As with all intergovernmental
agreements, this will be a no-rent basis agreement, although WIA will pay
utilities as usual. The mayor noted that with intergovernmental agencies, it is
not necessary to ask for bids as is done with private entities.
Mrs. Redmon explained that WIA 60 provides oversight to what everyone knows as
the JTPA system, which is now known as Workforce Investment Area. WIA 60 serves
six parishes, and this lease will put the headquarters for WIA in Catahoula
Parish, specifically in Jonesville.
Councilwoman Rouse asked Mrs. Redmon if she had looked at the building and was
it ready to move in
“as is.”
Mrs. Redmon said there were some things that needed to be done on the inside,
but that WIA was willing to take care of that in order to be able to move in.
Mayor Evans said the building’s electrical wiring and plumbing needed to be checked as well as the heating and
air conditioning and some painting done to the outside.
Evans clarified that another agency would be able to use the remaining space. He
said in terms of sharing the building with someone else, WIA would be leasing
the front entrance area which would be a reception area, the area where the
board met, and the room adjacent to it to the right. He added that access to
the kitchen and restroom facilities would also be included.
The council voted to appoint Richard Madison as the town’s official research and grant writer in non-competing areas with the LCDBG
program. Madison
’s compensation will be based on and paid after successful grants are awarded.
Evans verified a question that the grant-writer
’s fee is usually included in the grant.
Evans announced that the Town has a “new-to-us” bucket truck, a 2007 International - with a Lift All bucket. This truck
replaces the previous one which was under a perpetual lease, so at a point in
the future, the town will own this truck. Evans noted that the town now owns
three bucket trucks, one which was donated to the town during the last
hurricane, one that was obtained through a grant similar to this one and the
latest one just obtained.
Mrs. Redmon again addressed the council suggesting that now would be a good time
for a beautification plan to be put in place for the town. Council members
looked to Councilwoman Josie Bullitts who is the chairman of the beautification
committee named several years ago. Mrs. Bullitts said she would have something
for the council at the next meeting.
Walter Wilkerson, in responding to the mayor’s request for supervisors’ reports, noted that the next time we get a contractor, to be sure that it’s written in the contract that the contractor takes care of any damages that
happen during their work. Evans asked James Capricorn, with Hammett
& Associates, about the situation, explaining that the current contractor which
is running sewage lines is running into problems with lines laid earlier by
Womack Trenching. Capricorn said he would speak with Womack Trenching and see
what they could work out. He noted that, without defending anybody, there is
only about six feet available to put whatever is needed in laying lines, and if
the contractor waves off his line any at all, it gets in the way of anything
else that goes in there.
A lengthy discussion followed on the conditions of the streets, which Mrs.
Bullitts pointed out were in terrible shape. She asked that something be done,
if training is needed for putting down cold mix, then get the training
scheduled.
Sam Wilkerson on generator issue (published July 22, 2009)
Catahoula Parish E-911 board member Sam Wilkerson contacted the News Booster
office last Wednesday morning to clarify the issue of the generator which was
reported on last week.
According to Wilkerson, when improvements were made to the downstairs courthouse
and 911 upgraded the system, this generator replaced the old generator.
The maintenance contract was in question, not repairs to the generator.
Wilkerson stated that it was the duty of the police jury to pay the maintenance
contract on the generator because it is the property of the police jury. He
said that he did not ask for repairs or any other expenses of E-911 to be paid
for.
Have pirogue, will travel, Monroe to New Orleans (published July 22, 2009)
Cliff Dodge and his grandson Robert
Brown arrived in Jonesville Sunday evening. The pair is navigating a pirogue
from the Forsythe Boat Dock in Monroe all the way to the Aquarium of the
Americas near where Canal Street runs into the Mississippi River at New
Orleans.
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"We're going to study the stars at night and some Genesis during the day. It has
a lot about Mother Earth in it," said Dodge, 66, of Monroe.
The two built the pirogue last winter out of prime cypress with no knots. Dodge,
retired from the construction industry, designed the boat with special
features, such as storage units and facing seats.
"I wanted us to be able to look at each other and talk," he said.
It's got an original feature that Dodge calls a "rudderlizer," a combination
rudder and stabilizer.
"It's the only pirogue I know of that's got one," he said.
The pirogue project is infused with family heritage and modern life.
"I built a pirogue with my grandfather, I'm an old Cajun. I wanted to build a
nice one to hand down from generation to generation," he said.
His two granddaughters, who live in Covington, are the founders of a non-profit
organization, Kids Wanna Help, which encourages children to conduct fundraisers
and get involved in their communities.
Mary Brent and Beverly Brown have been tracking their grandfather's and cousin's
progress and posting it on their Web site, www.kidswannahelp.com.
"Any kids that want to can track us all the way to New Orleans," said Dodge.
He's provided an easy way for children to participate in the river trip, and
that's by signing their name to the pirogue, which Dodge named Colors.
"I've got different color pens, and I want the kids in the towns along the way
to come sign Colors," he said. "I want it to be covered with names by the time
we get there."
Dodge said he plans to get to know Robert even better during their river jaunt.
"If someone wanted to get to know their kids and grandkids, this is a way to do
it," he said, adding that the blueprints for Colors can be downloaded from the
Kids Wanna Help Web site.
Young Robert, who will be in the sixth grade at Our Lady of Fatima School in
Monroe this year, said he's been following an important order from his parents,
Neal and Lucy Brown of Monroe.
"They wanted me to keep my life jacket on," he said.
Dodge originally said he thought the trip would take about four days, but head
winds and slow currents have combined
to force him to change his mind. He recently said he didn't know how long it
would take.
The duo slept Sunday night at Elmly Plantation just south of Jonesville and were
back in the pirogue at 7 a.m. Monday morning.