March 15-April 15: 13th annual Jubilee Festival of the Arts (Thibodaux)
March 1, 2011
Elder abuse … old enough to know better
March 3, 2011The Lafourche Parish Council again delayed an ordinance that would approve the relocation of the La. Highway 1 and La. Highway 24 connection beneath the Larose Intracoastal Waterway Bridge.
The original ordinance, which appeared for the first time on the Jan. 25 meeting agenda, was a supplemental appropriation to fund the relocation of Clovelly Road, repairs to the Cut Off Lift Bridge and a drainage project for East 1st and East 2nd streets.
The council amended it to postpone the relocation project funding for another meeting, and approved funding the other projects.
The council requested the South Lafourche Levee District and the Greater Lafourche Port Commission to contribute some of the funding for the relocation project.
The Port Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for March 7, and SLLD’s next meeting is March 14. Due to the Mardi Gras season, the Parish Council canceled its March 8 meeting and will not meet until March 22.
The La. 1 and La. 24 connection will be relocated and reformed as a deterrent to stop trucks from traveling that route. Councilman Rodney Doucet said the trucks often get hung when making the turn beneath the bridge.
Councilman Phillip Gouaux said Angelette-Picciolla, the engineering firm that will handle the contracting work, found a way to cut costs for the job and called it a “super positive outcome.”
In other action, the council approved a temporary lease agreement that will allow a fireworks retail company to lease a portion of the parking lot at the Mathews Government Complex.
Great Wall Fireworks LLC will pay $3,000 per year – split evenly between two firework seasons prior to the Fourth of July and New Years Day – and 10 percent of total sales in excess of $15,000 to lease an area in the parking lot of the former Walmart building.
The resolution passed with a 7-to-2 vote. Councilmen Joe Fertitta and Phillip Gouaux opposed the agreement.
Gouaux said he has been approached about leasing the area for a car lot and advocated to open the lease of the parking lot for bid. Fertitta said that although shooting fireworks in the parish is legal, he believes it sends the wrong message.
Firework displays are within legal boundaries in rural Lafourche Parish in the days surrounding Independence Day and New Year’s Eve. Bottle rockets are banned.
Council Chairman Louis Richard sponsored the resolution. “They are already doing it without paying us, so we should allow them to do it if they are going to pay,” he said.
Great Wall will construct a tent, 30-feet by 50-feet, at least 20 feet from La. Highway 1 and any driveway.
The company will be allowed to lease the area from June 21, 2011 until July 6, 2011 and from Dec. 20, 2011 to Jan. 3, 2012.
As per the agreement, the parish will accept offers from other firework retail companies who wish to lease the area for 60 days. Great Wall will have a chance to match any offer.
