Council meeting stays calm

Published 12:58 am Saturday, October 24, 2015

Before Tuesday’s Bogalusa City Council meeting began, Council President Teddy Drummond put everyone in attendance on notice regarding decorum.

“I ask you to refrain from personal attacks during the meeting,” Drummond said. “We’re not going to tolerate any of that.”

The most recent meetings resulted in charges and counter-charges for various issues, by audience members and council members alike. Tuesday’s meeting was much calmer.

In the only business matter voted on by the council, the body adopted a resolution for the 2016 Capital Improvement Plan for George R. Carr Memorial Airfield.

The 2016 plan calls for easement acquisition and obstruction removal and engineering services for the parallel taxiway, land acquisition on the east side of runway 18, and runway repairs. Improvements from the grant are 100 percent funded for the airport.

During the public participation segment, long-time council meeting attendee Fate Ferrell said three addresses need to cleaned up because of dilapidated houses or trash.

He said properties in need of addressing are 1906 Dolly Ave., 1923 Davenport St., and a property in front of 1601 Plum St.

“One bad apple will infect the rest of the them,” Ferrell said. “It’s time for us to get together and clean these places up.”

District C Councilman Brian McCree said he has contacted Bogalusa Director of Public Works James Hall about the properties on Davenport and Dolly.

“I think the city should go after more grants,” Ferrell added. “We need grants to get more policemen on the streets and put more money in their pocket.”

The city was notified last month it was to receive a $220,846 grant from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The grant will go toward the city, employing two additional officers for three years.

In other matters, the council:

• Announced “Prayer in the Park at Cassidy Park” is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7.

• Announced the District A Neighbor-hood Association meeting is at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Northside School at 517 Mississippi Ave.

• Announced the fall cleanup day for District A is tentatively set for Saturday, Nov. 14.