Parish council deals with busy agenda

Tommy Thiebaud, parish
director of Homeland Security,
explains the need for a burn ban.
(John H. Walker photo)

FRANKLINTON — Members of the Washington Parish Council methodically worked their way through a busy agenda here Monday night.

By the time council members were finished, they had held three public hearings — without any public input — introduced four ordinances and three resolutions.

Most prominent was an emergency, 30-day burn ban (see top right column) implemented parishwide. Council members also held a public hearing and approved Ordinance No. 11-546, which keeps the parish tax levy at 28.42 mills, the same as last year.

Additionally, Resolution No. 11-549, which will allow Parish President Richard Thomas to enter into an agreement with Landworks, Inc. for the operation of the Choctaw Road Landfill.

After the meeting, Thomas told wpnewsblog he was comfortable with the process undertaken to advertise for and review proposals for the operation of the landfill.

"We held three public meetings where people could attend and ask questions,” he explained. "These proposals were reviewed and it was a studied decision ... it wasn't done like it was in the past,” he said.

A public hearing and vote will be held on the resolution when the council next meets on June 6.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogger.com)