Security system added at Terrebonne courthouse

The Terrebonne Parish Council agreed on money for security and road improvements at its meeting last Wednesday, and passed a resolution calling on the state’s top decision-maker expedite improvements to the Prospect Bridge.

The council agreed to spend $66,000 for a security system in the parish’s courtrooms, a request from district judges.

Safeguard burglar and fire alarm systems will install panic buttons in the judges’ offices, on court benches’, at the court reporter’s desk, in the their respective secretaries’ offices and in the law clerks’ offices.

A surveillance system will also be installed at the courthouse, which will consist of digital video recorders, monitors and cameras. Each judge will have a digital recorder with the capability of recording three to six weeks of video.

Each judge will also have between four and eight cameras. Most of the cameras will be placed in the courtroom, lobby, hallways and secretaries’ lobby. These cameras will allow the judges to see who is in the hallways, lobby and courtroom before entering or exiting.

Video monitors will also be located in the judges’ offices, secretaries’ offices and in the law clerks’ offices.

Also, an intercom system will be installed for the judges that will allow them to communicate from their bench with law clerks or secretaries. The intercom system will also allow the law clerk to take notes from the courtrooms.

This system will also be used as a security instrument. If the secretary or law clerk hears distress from the courtroom, he or she can call for help.

The Houma Police Department also got $16,604 to assist with DNA testing.

In infrastructure matters, the council agreed to spend an additional $15,000 for road improvements on Rose Marie Lane, and $41,403 for improvements to Royce Street.

The council also agreed to allocate $30,000 to Nicholls State University, to assist them with GIS aerial mapping of the parish.

In other business, the council unanimously passed a resolution asking Gov. Kathleen B. Blanco to proceed with plans to upgrade the Prospect Street Bridge by removing it from the state Department of Transportation’s 2009 agenda. The DOTD recently placed it on the list after receiving high contract bids to improve the structure. Parish officials say the work will ease traffic flow in a multi-parish area, extending as far north as Lafourche and St. James parishes.

Councilman Christa Duplantis said she is ready to fight the DOTD on the project.

“I’m ready to go on a road show with the DOTD. This is very upsetting. We can’t wait until 2009,” Duplantis said.

Council Chairman Alvin Tillman agreed.

“The DOTD has been delaying this project since the mid-1990s. There not going to do it this time,” Tillman said.

Construction on the Prospect Street Bridge was scheduled to begin in the fall, but because the DOTD received high bids on the project, the work was postponed until August of 2009.

Contractors estimate an upgrade to the bridge would cost between $13 million and $15 million.

The federal government has pledged $7.5 million for the project, however, the state must pay for the rest.

The resolution Blanco will receive states in part, “A delay in the Prospect Street Bridge will not only raise the overall cost of the project, but will also delay a much needed segment of hurricane and emergency evacuation routes for literally thousands of local residents.”