RIP: Debris marrs area graves

Terrebonne Parish Councilman Clayton Voisin and Regional Planning Commission Director Patrick Gordon admitted following last Wednesday’s parish council meeting that they welcome public complaints.

The duo made a renewed commitment to addressing nuisance abatement violations following an address by Grand Caillou area resident Mark Jeff regarding an ongoing problem with trash and debris being placed on the Bobtown Cemetery property; and after the Tri-Parish Times revealed to government officials other lower parish cemeteries and properties that are in a state of disrepair and where debris has been left abandoned in public view.

In his ongoing case brought before the council, Jeff stated that a three-year battle with Ava Harris, a neighbor of the Bobtown Cemetery, had not yet been resolved because trash and debris she was ordered to have removed from the cemetery remains in public view from a trailer on her property.

Gordon explained that as a civil matter, Harris had received a citation and had been told to clear the debris from the area. When that was not done, she was fined $250.

According to Gordon, Harris claimed she was unable to pay the fine and was granted an extension. It is a move with which Jeff took exception, and about which he complained that the planning commission and parish council were not being tough enough with nuisance abatement violators.

“My grandfather made it possible for us to have this [family] cemetery,” Jeff said of the property, which public records indicate is owned by several of Jeff’s relatives – and Gordon noted is a matter of contention among those numbers as to whom is ultimately responsible for its care.

Jeff said he serves as caretaker of the burial ground, but is concerned that it is taking so long for cleanup, beyond his personal responsibility, to take place.

“On Aug. 12, I told the planning committee about the wood, truck [and] boat left there by Ava Harris. And still nothing has been done,” Jeff said outside the council meeting. “Mr. Gordon advised me that he would look into the matter, [but] each time I call Mr. Gordon or [Parish President] Mr. [Michel] Claudet, I get a different answer.”

Gordon and Jeff both confirmed that Harris is waiting for a relative to take away the trailer, but no deadline was mentioned during the council meeting as to when that was expected to take place.

When asked directly about this case following the meeting Gordon said that he intended to return to the area this week and check on the cemetery and adjoining property status. “If something has not happened, we will take another approach,” Gordon said.

According to the Terrebonne Parish nuisance ordinances, officials can take either a civil provision or criminal provision approach in dealing with any violations. To date Harris has been offered only the civil provision.

Gordon said if the trash-filled trailer is not moved by the time he has revisited the property, Harris could be charged with a class-one misdemeanor. Harris could not be located for comment.

Jeff remained skeptical of any hard official action taking place. “I wonder who really runs the parish, Mr. Claudet or Ms. Harris,” he said.

The Bobtown Cemetery is not the only piece of property in the Grand Caillou and Dulac area where debris in and around cemeteries and on other private lands in public view present a problem for residents and possible violation to parish ordinances.

“I want to know who is supposed to be in charge of that,” said one area resident who has her house positioned between two cemeteries plagued with debris along La. Highway 57 in the Combon area.

Requesting that she not be identified by name, this resident noted a roadside cemetery where debris from a fence blown down by Hurricane Rita in 2005 had been removed from her property, only after she complained, and placed on two tombs where it has been for the past few years. “I don’t know who put the stuff on the graves. Something needs to be done,” the cemetery neighbor said.

On the other side of this resident’s property, an abandoned church building, house in disrepair and a number of weathered vehicles obscure the view of an unidentified cemetery.

“I’m going to go out there and look at these myself,” District 7 councilman Voisin said. “[Then] I’m going to turn in these other locations and tell Mr. Pat [Gordon] to look into it.”

Voisin and Gordon each said they want to know about nuisance abatement violations, but because they rely on the public informing them of concerns, they are limited in what they can investigate at any given time.

“We don’t go out and look for nuisance violations, so we rely on [the public] to let us know,” Gordon said.

Voison confirmed that since his district had been hit by a series of devastating hurricanes during the past five years, damaged property and left over debris has been a problem – one, he stressed, that needs to be addressed.

“When you get off the highway, nuisance abatement becomes disproportionate as to who is going to report it. I don’t want to say it is ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ but it is not easily noticed,” the councilman said.

Gordon and Voisin agreed that more aggressive efforts need to be made to clean up rural parts of the parish – efforts they said begin with the public making their complaints known.

An unmarked grave at Combon Cemetery in the Bobtown area is covered with fencing downed during Hurricane Rita. MIKE NIXON