Jurors weigh D.A.’s request on housing inmates

By PAUL KEDINGER
Managing Editor

Acadia Parish Police jurors reviewed their options Tuesday night to meet District Attorney Keith Stutes’s request to discontinue housing inmates during court proceedings in the D.A.’s office and his need for more office space.
Stutes made the dual requests at the Jury’s July meeting, noting that inmates are not held in the D.A.’s offices in either Lafayette or Vermilion Parishes.
Secretary-Treasurer Richard “Dickie” Latiolais suggested forming a task office on the request. After discussing various options, Juror Robert Guidry moved to “do a walk-through of the courthouse” to weigh possible alternatives, an option the Building and Grounds Committee voted to recommend to the full Jury next Tuesday.
The committee also discussed relocating the parish Veterans Affair office, with Latiolais noting proposed plans to move the office to the new health unit might require walling off a section of the health unit’s lobby for office space.
As an alternative, Latiolais reported the owner of Cullen Investment LLC was willing to offer a three-to five-year lease at $800 per month for space in his building across the street from the Crowley fire station.
The secretary-treasurer pointed out the Jury is now required to support 38 percent of the parish V.A. Office expenses and has budgeted about $21,000 for maintenance and other expenses.
Projecting budget savings of about $11,000, the committee recommended the full Jury approve the move to the Cullen building.
After hearing a report from Lee Hebert, who oversees enforcement of the tall grass ordinance, about the steps he mist take to require landowners to control grass growth, members of the Legislative Committee discussed sweeping changes to the regulation.
Currently, under the present ordinance, the Jury can impose only a $35 fine and assess the landowners the actual cost of have a contractor clear the land.
Hebert suggested the Jury consider how the city of Rayne handles overgrown lots, issuing a single certified notice to the owner and posting a sign on the lot regarding the owner clearing the property or paying a contractor’s fee.
Juror Robert Guidry’s proposal to hike the administrative fee for $35 to $150 in addition to paying the actual expenses of clearing the property, along with posting warning signs on the property and issuing an annual certified notice received approval of the Legislative Committee.
Legal Counsel Brad Andrus reported he has sought an attorney general’s opinion on potential changes to the parish noise ordinance.
Jurors also heard a request from Chastity Fontenot about amending the noise ordinance to govern the operation of motorized cycles and ATV’s is recognized subdivisions.
Mrs. Fontenot reported ATV’s are using a dirt track next to the family home producing a “constant humming” distraction.
Noting she has called the sheriff’s department repeatedly to take noise decibel readings, she presented an ordinance from Jefferson Parish as a possible alternative.
When Juror Guidry pointed out the subdivision covenants regarding disturbances might be a solution, other jurors advised civil action might produce quicker results that changes to the noise ordinance.
The Road and Bridge Committee recommended the Jury consider erecting “Please reduce speed for dust control” signs throughout the parish to slow speeding motorists and a cautionary sign for children.
The committee also accepted as substantially complete repairs to the Vie Terre Beau bridge at Bayou Nezpique.
The Solid Waste Committee referred bids for a compactor at the parish landfill to the full Jury with A.J. “Fatty” Broussard moving to accept the low bid. The committee also accepted a list of surplus equipment at the landfill.