Marksville Council focuses on Bayou Pierite culverts

Bayou Pierite is the main drainage artery for the city of Marksville. Whenever there is flooding in Marksville, all eyes look at Pierite. The city is currently involved in a drainage improvement project for the bayou, with the hope that it will get more water off its residents’ property quicker.

City Council members discussed drainage issues and flooding in a packed room at its May 10 meeting.

Several people spoke in what became an open discussion that lasted almost an hour. Residents complained about frequent flooding, no response or insufficient response from government agencies, insurance problems and a general weariness over dealing with a problem that seems to generate more questions than answers.

Mayor John Lemoine told council members and residents that a state engineer had looked at the city’s drainage system and identified a problem in the bayou near the Garan plant building where a bridge was replaced with two culverts. He said the DOTD engineer recommends removing the culverts.

City Attorney Derrick Whittington said he has spoken to the property owner, who said he will be happy to sit down and discuss the issue with city officials.

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS

In another matter, Councilman Frank Havard called for requiring contractors to use dumpsters and be responsible for having construction and remodeling debris removed from their project sites. He said debris such as used tin, boards with nails, sheetrock. shingles and ceiling tiles are left at the street for city employees to pick up. Havard said the city is not equipped to address that kind of material, and shouldn’t have to. It should be the property owner’s and/or contractor’s responsibility.

The council approved changing its ordinance and permit policy to require a dumpster for the debris and to state that the city will not pick up construction debris. Property owners who do not have such debris hauled away will be fined.

Speaking of fines, Havard took the opportunity to point out that the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury received $6,147 in fine revenue from Ward 2/Marksville City Court last month “while the city received a whopping $135.”

Police Chief Elster Smith said officers are writing tickets and citations as violations of city ordinances, but any change in fine revenue to the city will not show up until this month’s figures.

Havard noted that District Attorney Charles Riddle had indicated in a recent news article that he will continue to prosecute the offenses as violations of state law, thus ensuring the fines are directed to the Police Jury.