City Council approves progressive projects for city

RAYNE - A number of irons were added to the fire with numerous projects announced as future plans for the city during Monday’s City Council meeting held at City Hall.
Taking center stage were four action items for the Council to approve, the first being a resolution granting Mayor Charles “Chuck” Robichaux the authority to execute a contract amendment for professional engineering services in connection with the city’s drinking water revolving loan fund program including water treatment plant improvements.
Following discussion, the mayor was authorized to sign the engineering contract amendment for the water treatment plant improvements project, allowing City Engineer Tim Mader to submit the needed application.
The second action was a resolution regarding the $1.033 million DOTD road transfer program for Louisiana Highway 98 (East Jeff Davis Avenue) and Louisiana Highway 3076 (American Legion Drive) for applying the funds towards improvement of West Jeff Davis Avenue, local roads in Edgewood Subdivision, North Polk Street, Seventh Street and South Eastern Street.
The approval by the Council will allow Robichaux to authorize Mader Engineering to submit the street projects to be completed by the amount given with the project.
Robichaux also noted that, in three to four years, the city will be in the process of a street overlay project for the entire city, at which time, these streets will be already completed.
The third action item was a resolution authorizing the mayor to submit an application to the Office of Community Development’s Local Government Assistance Program for various sidewalk and drainage improvements needed within the city.
That resolution also was approved by the Council.
The final action item was Council approval to allow the mayor to proceed with the purchase a new vacuum truck needed for the city’s sewer department through a low-interest SRF Loan Program.
The 20-year-old vacuum truck the city now has will be donated to the street-drainage department for future use.
“I, along with LMA officials, have looked into what our department needs,” said Robichaux when asked about the cost of the new truck. “We’ve looked at many models and I think we’ve narrowed the price to a $325,000 to $375,000 range depending on the selected options. We really don’t need all the bells and whistles like other cities have.”
With the Council’s approval, Mader Engineering will prepare and submit specifications to DEQ for the purchase of the new vacuum truck for the sewer system under the SRF Loan Program.
One non-action item was an update of the Barbara Street pump station upgrades project.
Mader noted that ,as of July 31, the contractor was 16 percent complete and the second partial payment for $31,945.65 would be made.
Lines are continuing to be laid throughout the anticipated sewer drain route in a reversed method — from the sewer plant to the pump station on Barbara Street.
Under new business, Rep. Bob Hensgens of District 47 addressed the Council and audience.
Hensgens, along with Robichaux, gave a report of the work the two, along with Rep. John Stefanski, have completed to attain the needed funds for the update/renovation of the Martin Luther King Center of Rayne. Hensgens noted he was expecting the funds to be available for the long-awaited project in the fall of this year.
In addition to the monthly financial update presented by City Clerk Annette Cutrera, the Council approved the 2018 Property Tax Adjustments for the Tax Year of 2017 totaling $2,377.88 from 22 assessments.
The final new business was the approval of Jimmy Prevost’s reappointment to the Municipal Employee Civil Service Board.
Rayne Police Chief Carroll Stelly presented three vehicles to be declared as surplus. The Council approved a 2004, 2007 and 2008 Crown Victoria as surplus and agreed to donate the vehicles to the communities of Iota and Bunkie.
The final order of business of the evening was the mayor’s announcement of the groundbreaking on Tuesday, Aug. 14, of the much-needed Boulevard Sidewalk Project.
The 5-foot wide sidewalk will be built on both the west and east side of The Boulevard, beginning at Oak Street and ending at I-10. The 5-foot width will allow wheelchair accessibility.
The project will eventually include benches and greenery.
“This project was projected to cost $70,000,” said Robichaux. “But, we have brought that cost down to between $25,000 and $27,000 with LGAP money and DOC work program.”
Robichaux also gave an update of the St. Joseph Church Cemetery cleanup and repair project which began in July.
“The entire cemetery, a block square, will be pressure-washed, repaired and re-painted where needed,” he stated. “The church will provide the supplies and the city’s DOC work program will provide the labor for this world-famous oddity that is listed among Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.”