Council modifies ordinance to add journeyman requirement

Members of the Bogalusa City Council unanimously approved an ordinance repealing and reenacting  Ordinance No. 1961 of the City of Bogalusa — which makes up the entirety of Chapter 8 of the city’s Code of Ordinances — at Monday’s regular meeting of the body.

The action adds the requirement that persons working under a licensed electrician be qualified as a journeyman electrician, which requires a proficiency test.

Currently, a licensed electrician may employ someone and send him or her on a job — even though they may not be licensed — as they are working under the electrician’s license.

That’s about to change and Chuck Stewart, the certified building official for Washington Parish, the City of Bogalusa and the Village of Angie, applauded the move.

“I commend you for this ordinance,” Stewart said. “This type of ordinance is what we need in the parish to enable us to move to the 21^st Century.”

He explained the majority of electricians coming in from out of parish are either fully licensed electricians or journeymen.

“Most places around us already have ordinances such as this,” he said. “We need it locally.”

Stewart said the State of Louisiana is getting ready to implement a similar law regarding plumbers on January 1.

Stewart told council members that inspectors were extremely busy in the parish at the present time.

“People don’t realize how busy we are,” he said. “We have 15 commercial structures under construction and 44 new homes.”

Council member Oneita Graham asked Stewart about the cost for permits in the parish and he explained there was a 55 cents per square foot fee that covered everything regarding to the construction.

“Based on the demographics, we probably have one of the most competitive fees of any parish in the state,” he said.

In other business, council members approved a resolution supporting the Bogalusa Police Department’s application for an Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant in the amount of $16,118. The money will be used for equipment.

Council members also approved seven condemnations, allowing property owners 10 days to bring the property up to code or be demolished. There are more than 100 properties currently awaiting demolition.