Council agrees to special meeting on closing Parkerson St. crossing

In a cooperative move, the Rayne City Council Monday night agreed to hold a special meeting to gather citizen input on the anticipated closure of the Parkerson Street railroad crossing.
For many years, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and BNSF railroad company have been pushing to close the Parkerson Street crossing, one of seven within city limits.
If the City Council does not agree to closing the BNSF crossing, it will lose the opportunity to get $20,000 from the railroad company to pay for expenses to barricade the street crossing.
If Rayne doesn’t take the initiative, Bill Shrewsberry, DOTD’s highway/rail safety engineer, is expected to begin legal proceedings to force the closure.
The Council agreed to Engineer Tim Mader’s recommendation to invite Shrewsberrry to a hearing in late May or early June.
If the public response to the closure is not overwhelmingly against it, the Council could introduce the ordinance for closure at its June meeting and act on it at its July meeting. Because a public hearing is required for an ordinance, the public would gain a second chance to voice its opinion.
If the Council decided not to introduce a closure ordinance, DOTD would presumably respond by initiating the statutory process and eventually instruct BNSF to close the crossing, Mader pointed out.
In a related move, Mayor Chuck Robichaux will meet May 12 with a U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration office regarding efforts to have SNSF replace the poor crossings on
Arenas and Parkerson.
In other action, the Council authorized Mader Engineering to prepare cost estimates for improved drainage work along East Branche Street and Barbara Street, as well as patching and overlaying of streets in Edgewood Subdivisions. Funds would come from the DOTD Road Transfer Program associated with the overlaying of American Legion and East Jeff Davis Avenue by DOTD and the resulting transfer of ownership and maintenance to the city. The Council also agreed to introduce an ordinance to annex the existing DOTD right of way for East Jeff Davis extending just west of Lisa Street and ending at Llama Road. The move would expand the Road Transfer funds.
In other action, the Council tabled consideration to make the one block long Adams Alley between Louisa Avenue and Campania Street a one way street going south.
The Council approved an ordinance to set the salary of the Rayne police chief to $53,000 beginning on June 1.
The Council approved the renewal of the city’s general and parks and recreation millages at the same levels as last year of 7.10 mills and 5 mills,respectively.
The Council approved the creation of a checking account at the Bank of Commerce and Trust Company to hold funds donated as well as paid for commemorative bricks to be used to create a Veterans Park at the entrance to Gossen Park.
Mayor Robichaux explained funds were currently held in a private account created by the park’s planning committee and the city could not properly access the funds or earmark city funds to support the park’s development. He noted the city has budgeted $40,000 to begin the first phase of the project and paid for the purchase of the memorial brick pavers.
The mayor also reported he and others, including members of the planning committee plan to travel to the city of Baker to inspect its veterans park. He added that the mayor of Baker has offered to provide the architectural plans used to create that city’s park free of charge to Rayne.
Robichaux emphasized that the city was committed to creating the park, adding that currently 265 of the commemorative bricks have been sold at $75 each.
In other business, George Melancon asked to Council members to rescind an order issued by the City Council on Dec. 8, 2014 requiring him to demolish a trailer located behind the former domino hall of East Jeff Davis. The order was issued after Melancon failed to appear at the December meeting to explain what he wanted to do with the trailer.
Building Inspector Mark Daigle retraced the demolition order, including citizen complaints, rodents and possible use by the homeless.
Melancon explained he used the trailer solely for storage, to which Daigle said it need not meet strict code standards as a storage unit.
Mayor Pro tem Pete Babineaux offered to give Melancon “a second chance.” The Council agreed but stipulated that electricity, water and sewer be disconnected and that debris be cleared. They also asked Inspector Daigle to inspect the trailer within one month.
Daigle presented Council members with a list of current demolition projects and invited them to inform him of any blighted properties in their districts.
Daigle introduced James Benoit as the city’s new animal control officer.
The Council approved Chief Stelly’s hiring of Melody Schexnider and Elizabeth Dale as provisional police officer to fill vacancies created by the departure of two officer. Each applicant is P.O.S.T certified but must obtain approved civil service scores within three months.
Mayor Robichaux agreed to call a meeting of the Council’s policy committee to hear comments from water department workers regarding salary issues.
Regarding the city’s finishing second behind St. Martinville in its bid for the state Cleanest City title, the mayor thanked all those who worked toward that goal and emphasized the city would continue its beautification efforts.