First of all, to clarify The Daily News quote in the Aug. 26 article entitled, ”Citizens still concerned about Roosevelt,” which states, “Kates said she was ‘delighted to report’ that someone — even if it was the parish government — was doing the work.”

In the June 24-25 edition of The Daily News, it was quoted, “Councilwoman Gloria Kates is delighted to report that the 1400 block of North Roosevelt Road is complete after 15 years or more of requests made by the Sweet Beulah Baptist Church and neighborhood residents.” Also, there was mention of concerns pertaining to the dirt residue and a follow up of assessment would be made.

In essence, after the church members and neighborhood residents spent years of advocating for the city to overlay the street, the parish was kind enough to do the work, at no cost to the city.

Although blacktop was expected, the three-shot overlay was the parish’s process for road repair.

The extensive timeline of events pertaining to the street repair of the 1400 block of N. Roosevelt began when a Bogalusa Public Work Order request was submitted on Jan. 26, 2015, and resubmitted on Aug. 24, 2015. The response to the request was, “when we are out of the red we will be blacktopping.”

Since then, it has been ongoing stages to address this issue and it resulted in the street repair beginning on May 12, 2016, and completed on July 24, 2016.

At the Aug. 8, 2016, council meeting, extreme dissatisfaction was expressed concerning conditions at the church and the residents’ quality of life due to the street’s recent repairs.

Shortly afterwards, additional assessments were made and a survey is underway. Also, in meeting with Mayor Wendy Perrette, suggested resolutions were discussed. Just to name a few: revisit options in order to determine a comparative cost for blacktopping; use of materials from existing street repair/overlay projects.; and review of ad valorem tax dollars allocated for neighborhood streets.

The most recent suggestion from the parish is for the city to seal the street for expanding the life and improving the street appearance, which could also be an option (possibly at 50 percent of the total cost of blacktopping).

In closing, all of us are held accountable in playing an intricate part to ensure our survival in the city of Bogalusa.

There is an urgency to work earnestly together in order to resolve and reserve even the “our most basic needs” that will shape the community as a whole for present and future generations.

Thank you for all your continued support.

Gloria Kates

Bogalusa City Council, District A