City Council meeting held July 13

By Crystal Nix

DeQuincy City Council met at City Hall for their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, July 13.

The City Council will meet with Mary Jo Bayles, city planner to look at erosion problems in the areas of Overton and Smith Sts. The erosion is causing rapid land loss. The city will ask for assistance from the Calcasieu Parish Gravity and Drainage Board.

The DeQuincy Police Department will be getting new radio equipment in the near future. Their current radio system is obsolete and needy of frequent repairs. The radios will cost approximately $50,000. Police Juror Roger Marcantel will try to procure funds to offset the costs of the equipment.

Mayor Riley Smith said that City Hall is open to the public, but masks will be required. He thanked the DeQuincy Police and Rotary Club of DeQuincy for the success of the Farmer’s Market, and said he would like to see it be a monthly event.

Mayor Smith visited the Grand Avenue Gym to view the work done there by the community. There will be an inspection of the facility to see exactly what is needed to bring the facility up to code.

The Mayor asked that the splash park would be placed on hold because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The city council will look at it again in January 2021.

Reports Given

Mark Peloquin, council member, called the city council regular business meeting to order. Chief Casey Whitehead noted that felony charges were down from 144 charges last year to 43 this year. There were 246 complaints, 10 arrests, four warrants served and 136 violations.

Hank Frazier gave the wastewater report. A sewer main on Hwy. 12 west was cleaned, a sewer tap on Hereford St. was replaced, and a sump pump at the Douglas Rd. lift station was replaced. New equipment was unloaded at the wastewater plant and work will resume for general maintenance at that plant and lift stations.

The fire department assisted Ward 6 with a structure fire on Gordon St. Two assists with Air Med landing zones and one assist with Acadian Ambulance with a heavy patient. Assists also include an electrical problem and one smoke in the attic.

Public Input

During the public input Seymour Pullam invited the city council to visit the Grand Avenue Gym this Thursday, July 16, at 5:30 p.m. to see the progress that has been made on the gym by the community.

If you are experiencing sewerage backup into your home during heavy rainfalls, please call city hall to report it.

A resident at 101 West St. has sewerage back up into his home during heavy rainfalls. Frazier said it is an infiltration problem, with the sewerage lines not able to handle the heavy flow of water. He will adjust the pumps so they will kick on sooner and try to alleviate some of the flooding The council voted to proceed with demolition of a home at 208 Kelly St. Crystal Nix asked the council for action to secure/condemn a house located on the corner of E. Harrison St. and Pine St., (the former DeQuincy Flower Shop).

Someone started removing brick, doors and windows, but the building has been left unsecure and is a hazard to the community.

A special committee has been formed to look at the city’s fireworks ordinance. Council members have received numerous complaints siting fireworks being popped late into the night and litter being left in the streets.

The police department received thanks from council person Daisy Cole for serving refreshments to the children in her district. Cole also thanked the city crew for mowing and trimming limbs at the Grand Avenue facility.

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